Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser has reversed her stance on President Donald Trump’s deployment of the National Guard and federal law enforcement to the nation’s capital, now labeling the move an “authoritarian push” and urging residents to defend the city’s autonomy, as reported by The New York Post.

Speaking at a Tuesday town hall, Bowser, a Democrat in her third term, told attendees, “This is a time where community needs to jump in and we all need to do what we can in our space, in our lane, to protect our city and to protect our autonomy, to protect our Home Rule, and get to the other side of this guy, and make sure we elect a Democratic House so that we have a backstop to this authoritarian push.”

The comments marked a sharp departure from her position just hours earlier, when she appeared to welcome the president’s Title 32 activation of the D.C. National Guard.

In an interview with MSNBC’s The Weekend ahead of Trump’s announcement, Bowser said she was prepared to work with the administration.

Here's What They're Not Telling You About Your Retirement

MORE NEWS: Knicks Watch Party Erupts Into Complete Chaos as Fans Brawl With Each Other, Police [WATCH]

“He’s interested in being in neighborhoods, fighting crime in neighborhoods,” she said at the time.

Earlier Tuesday, Bowser told reporters she wanted to explore “how to make the most of the additional officer support” provided under the president’s order.

The plan calls for the Metropolitan Police Department to be reinforced by personnel from several federal agencies, including the U.S. Border Patrol, FBI, DEA, and U.S. Park Police.

By Tuesday night, Bowser told community leaders — in remarks later posted on X — that she expected most of the additional patrols to remain on federal property.

FREE Gun Law Map: Laws Don't Pause During Social Unrest

Following ongoing debates over border security and immigration policy in 2026, do you support stricter enforcement measures?

By completing the poll, you agree to receive emails from RVM News, occasional offers from our partners and that you've read and agree to our privacy policy and legal statement.

“My expectation, though it can change, is that they will deploy the Guard on federal properties — that includes parks, monuments, federal buildings,” she said.

National Guard members began arriving in the city Tuesday afternoon, with footage showing Humvees positioned near the Washington Monument.

A Department of Defense official told The Washington Post that only a small portion of the 800 Guard members assigned to the mission had been mobilized, with more expected in the coming days.

On Monday, Trump federalized the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department’s 3,400-officer force and activated the National Guard, hours after directing approximately 850 federal agents to patrol the capital’s streets.

Close

MORE NEWS: Steve Hilton Surges Into California Governor Race to Face Xavier Becerra in High Stakes Showdown

The move is part of a larger effort to combat rising crime in Washington.

According to 2024 statistics from the Center for Public Safety Initiatives at the Rochester Institute of Technology, D.C. had the fourth-highest homicide rate among major U.S. cities, recording 27.3 murders per 100,000 people.

The figure was six times higher than New York City’s rate of 4.7 and nearly four times higher than Los Angeles’s 7.2 per 100,000.

Warning: Account balances and purchasing power no longer tell the same story. Know in 2 minutes if your retirement is working for you.