Federal capital, Washington is not a city like the others. Governed under the control of the congress, the city operates according to a fragile balance. A model today called into question by Donald Trump in the name of order and security.
A unique status
United States political capital since 1790it is the institutional heart of the country, seat of the White House, the Capitol and the Supreme Court. Unlike the 50 American states, Washington does not benefit full autonomy. It does not belong to any state and depends directly on Congressas provided for in Constitution. This particular status places the city in a subordinate position, unique in American territory.
In 1973a law allowed residents to elect a municipal council, as well as mayor. But this power remains supervised. The congress can modify or block local decisions at any time. This was the case, for example, during the legalization of cannabis in 2015, temporarily suspended by conservative parliamentarians.
Another paradox. Residents of Washington pay federal taxes, can be mobilized by conscription, but have no Voting representatives at Congress. Their only delegate, Eleanor Holmes Norton, sits without voting rights. A situation denounced by many residents as deeply unfair.
The 51st state?
Washington is about today 700,000 inhabitants. It is more than Vermont or Wyoming, two states represented by four senators in total. The mainly black and graduate population, votes very much for the Democrats. In 2024, Kamala Harris obtained more than 90% of votes against Donald Trump.
Faced with this reality, many inhabitants claim that Washington becomes the 51st American state. This change would guarantee two seats in the Senate, a full representation in the House. But the idea, although supported by a local majority, is expressly rejected by the Republicans. The latter fearing a long way to lose their influence in the congress, due to the electoral profile very democratic of the city.
The debate on this change of status is not newbut he takes a more conflicting turn as political polarization intensifies in the United States. For Donald Trump, Washington is not only an opposing bastion, it is also a city he deems in decline.
Safety: Trump resumes hand
Monday August 11, Donald Trump announced the deployment of 800 National Guard soldiers in Washington. He invoked a federal law which allows him to take control of the city police, in the event of a serious threat. The official reason? An alleged increase in crime and the presence of violent gangs.
But the figures tell another story. In 2024, the city knew a 32% drop in homicides compared to the previous year. The Ministry of Justice even said that violent crime in Washington had reached their lowest level in over 30 years. The mayor of the city, Muriel Bowers denounced a political maneuver. She recalls that statistics do not justify a federal intervention.
The tension between the Democratic town hall and the republican presidency Recalls the previous conflicts between Trump, local governors and elected officials. Indeed, in June the president had already tried to deploy the National Guard in California without the agreement of the governor. A decision invalidated by a federal judge.
A political battle
Behind the security rethoricDonald Trump’s operation also aims to assert a reinforced federal power in the face of democratic bastions. By attacking Washington, he attacks a symbol. It also regains control of a territory hostile to its political ideology.
For defenders of the city’s current status, this military deployment is an authoritarian drift. For those who campaign in favor of the transformation of Washington as a state, it illustrates the urgency of a reform for more autonomy and democratic representation on a national scale. Because despite its strategic importance, Washington remains today a capital without full democratic voice.
