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| Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser testifies at a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on September 18. |
Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Tuesday that she will not run for reelection after 10 years leading the city and carefully navigating the Trump administration’s policies, especially during a federal law enforcement surge.
“It has been the honor of my life to be your mayor. Together, we have built a legacy I’m deeply proud of,” Bowser said in a social media video, highlighting several city infrastructure projects.
In an interview with NBC News4, Bowser, a Democrat, said her decision was made for her family and that it was time “to pass the baton to the next leaders who will take our city to the next level.”
“It’s probably the hardest thing I’ve done — to step away from a job I love. But I know we’ve achieved what I set out to do,” she added.
One of her key achievements was negotiating a $3.7 billion deal to build a new football stadium and bring the Washington Commanders back to DC.
Bowser, who became a prominent Democratic voice during Trump’s first term, took a more balanced approach during his second term, working with the administration while protecting DC’s autonomy.
She faced criticism for cooperating with Trump instead of resisting more strongly, but Bowser defended her approach, saying protecting the city’s limited self-governance was her “north star.”
A DC official said, “She feels she handled the situation the way she needed to, to protect Washingtonians. She doesn’t second-guess it.”
Bowser credited the federal surge with helping reduce violent crime but remained critical of the National Guard’s presence and ICE operations.
Trump praised her, saying DC was a model for other potential federal deployments in Democratic-led cities. He told reporters on Air Force One that he “got along with her very well” and called the city “safe and great.”
Earlier this year, Bowser removed Black Lives Matter Plaza amid political pressure, explaining the city had “bigger fish to fry” due to looming financial and workforce challenges under Trump.
Her decision comes as some Republicans consider reforming or undoing DC’s Home Rule Act, which balances local governance with federal oversight. Bowser said she stood up to bullies and defended Home Rule, though she did not mention Trump.
Her term ends in January 2027, and she currently has no plans to run for another office, focusing on her remaining time as mayor.
Her successor will face challenges from the Trump administration’s cuts to the federal workforce, which have led to layoffs and threatened other local industries. The city could lose more than $1 billion in revenue over the next three years if these terminations continue, according to projections from DC’s chief financial officer.
