Make No Mistake—This Is a Federal Takeover

As a concerned citizen, I am writing to urge you to oppose ongoing efforts to undermine the autonomy of WASHINGTON, D.C.—whether through symbolic gestures like renaming it the “DISTRICT OF AMERICA,” or through aggressive federal power plays like the “MAKE D.C. SAFE AGAIN” initiative. These moves aren’t about patriotism or public safety. They’re about CONTROL. REP. LAUREN BOEBERT’s suggestion that D.C. could be renamed in line with DONALD TRUMP’s “GULF OF AMERICA” rebrand may sound like political theater—but paired with legislation like the BOWSER ACT, it becomes clear this is a coordinated effort to strip local authority and consolidate power at the federal level. At the same time, U.S. ATTORNEY ED MARTIN has launched a campaign to prosecute GUN crimes in federal court, backed by slogans that mimic TRUMP’s campaign rhetoric and framed as a crackdown. But this isn’t law and order—it’s a return to failed zero-tolerance policies that disproportionately target BLACK communities and ignore the real roots of crime. MARTIN’s actions include firing experienced prosecutors, undermining local partnerships, and flooding federal courts with cases that could—and should—be handled locally. And now, PRESIDENT TRUMP is explicitly calling for a full federal TAKEOVER OF WASHINGTON, D.C. “I think we should take over WASHINGTON, D.C.—make it safe,” he told reporters aboard AIR FORCE ONE, citing CRIME and “too many TENTS on the lawns — these magnificent lawns.” That’s not a policy proposal. That’s a warning: any city that doesn’t bend the knee can be taken over next. The people of WASHINGTON, D.C. deserve RESPECT, not federal micromanagement. They are not props in a political rebranding campaign or pawns in a law-and-order show. If this can happen to D.C., it can happen to ANY AMERICAN CITY that doesn’t fall in line with whoever holds federal power. Congress must defend the principle of local self-governance. That means rejecting efforts to rename, overrule, or take over the DISTRICT. Let D.C. govern itself—as any AMERICAN CITY should.