Donald Trump set off alarm bells nationwide after making chilling remarks about his power over Washington, D.C. in a recent interview. Many are calling the comments authoritarian, delusional, and downright dangerous.
During an appearance on Fox & Friends Friday morning, the president made offhanded remarks about the Washington, D.C. mayor that quickly turned heads—and not in a good way.
While the interview was supposed to be about the arrest in the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, it was Trump’s casual flexing of power over the nation’s capital that sent shockwaves through social media.
For context, Trump had seized control of the DC Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) on August 11, under the banner of a “public safety emergency.” That emergency declaration allowed him to deploy 800 National Guard troops, install federal agents from ICE, and, in a stunning move, name the federal DEA chief as acting head of the MPD.
Not surprisingly, local leaders, including D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, were not thrilled.
“We don’t need a presidential emergency,” Bowser declared.
She signed an executive order outlining how the city would wind down Trump’s takeover and reaffirmed her authority: “Let me tell you, without equivocation, that the mayor’s order does not extend the Trump emergency. In fact, it does the exact opposite.”
But Trump doesn’t seem to care much about boundaries—or facts.
On Fox & Friends, he made the claim: “Well, the mayor’s asked us to stay. We have a Democrat mayor, who’s asked us to stay, and DC is a little bit different because I could federalize it if I want.”
And then, the bombshell: “So, we have actually, more power in DC, because I can change the mayor if I want, I can do whatever I want.”
Let that sink in. A U.S. president openly claiming he has the authority to replace an elected mayor and do whatever he wants in the nation’s capital.
He added, as if it were a reassurance: “I haven’t had to. We’ve had a great relationship with the mayor. Everybody’s happy.”
No. Not everybody’s happy.
Social media erupted with fear and disbelief. One user wrote, “What’s frightening is that he actually believes this.” Another said, “This is the kind of s**t dictators say, btw.” A third bluntly called out, “No he can’t, he’s lying again.”
The real fear isn’t just that Trump said this—it’s what it reveals about how he views power. The notion that a president can simply “change the mayor” and override local governance strikes at the heart of democracy.
Trump’s statements are more than empty rhetoric—they’re a dangerous glimpse of authoritarian thinking that many Americans and leaders find deeply unsettling.
Watch the clip below from Fox News:
Trump on DC: "We have actually more power in DC. I can change the mayor if I want. I can do whatever I want." pic.twitter.com/jfDYCgiMY7
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 12, 2025
