The Republican leader officially declared a public safety emergency, contrasting Washington’s crime statistics with those of other global capitals, noting that the city fares poorly in comparison to places like Iraq, Brazil, and Colombia.

“This has to be the best run place in the country, not the worst run place in the country,” Trump said Wednesday.

He called Bowser “a good person who has tried, but she has been given many chances”.

In a news briefing, Trump mentioned his administration’s efforts to dismantle homeless encampments in the city’s parks. He has frequently suggested returning control of Washington to federal oversight, a process that would involve repealing the Home Rule Act of 1973, currently under legal review. Such a proposal is likely to encounter significant resistance.

Bowser acknowledged that the law allows the president to take more control over the city’s police, but only if certain conditions are met.

“None of those conditions exist in our city right now,” she said.

“We are not experiencing a spike in crime. In fact, we’re watching our crime numbers go down.”