Donald Trump is threatening a federal takeover of Washington, D.C. On Friday, the president deployed federal law enforcement agents to the nation’s capital, days after claiming that crime in the city is “totally out of control.”
According to city data, violent crime is down 26% from last year, as of Friday. Trump also said the federal government was looking into overturning the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, the 1973 law that empowers limited self-government in Washington.
On Thursday’s “The Weeknight,” co-host Michael Steele, who grew up in D.C., blasted Trump for the proposal: “You know, as a native Washingtonian and who has family who still live here in the city, I’m just kind of sick of this.”
Steele decried people who come into D.C. and think they can “do whatever they want” and “strip away the rights of the citizens.” The former chairman of the Republican National Committee noted that Washington residents “do not have the same rights as every other American” since they do not have voting representation in the Senate, and their sole House delegate cannot vote on final legislation.
Steele advised “all you wannabes who want to think you can control D.C.” to “just go walk through neighborhoods and understand how people actually live and raise their families here.” He said Trump’s threat to federalize D.C. “strikes very personal” for the city’s more than 700,000 residents.
The “Weeknight” co-host acknowledged the federal government does have some control over the city but said the president shouldn’t “crack down” on the residents of D.C.
“Just back the hell up, President Trump,” Steele said.
He added: “Here you have this man who couldn’t even run a casino, thinking somehow he’s going to run D.C.? ... The only thing Donald Trump knows about D.C. is the White House, and we’ve seen what he’s done to that, right?”
You can watch Steele’s full reaction to Trump’s comments in the clip at the top of the page.