Trump Backs Budget Fix To Restore $1.1 Billion To Washington, DC, Amid Funding Crisis

President Donald Trump has thrown his weight behind a legislative measure to prevent a financial crisis in the District of Columbia, even as he continues to critique the city’s governance. His public endorsement could significantly impact the fate of the bill, which aims to restore $1.1 billion in budget cuts affecting the capital’s essential services.

In a Friday morning post on Truth Social, Trump made his stance clear, stating, “The House should take up the D.C. funding ‘fix’ that the Senate has passed, and get it done IMMEDIATELY.” His statement marks the first direct public acknowledgment of support for the measure, a key priority for Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser and city officials.

A Legislative Battle Over D.C.’s Budget

Earlier this month, the House approved a federal funding bill that forced the district to revert to its 2024 budget parameters, leading to a $1.1 billion shortfall. This move ignited strong opposition from Bowser, who warned of dire consequences, including layoffs of teachers and police officers and significant cuts to city programs.

The Senate passed the bill with the budget cut in place but followed up with a separate measure to restore the lost funds. That fix is now awaiting House approval, with Bowser delaying her 2026 budget announcement until the matter is settled.

House Speaker Mike Johnson has remained non-committal about the timing of a vote, stating, “We’re working through that.” Meanwhile, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise dismissed concerns about financial collapse as exaggerated, saying the district’s claims “sound overstated.”

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries emphasized the urgency, setting the upcoming April 11 recess as a natural deadline. “It needs to happen before we go on the next district work period, which means it should occur either next week or the week after next,” Jeffries said.

Trump’s Growing Focus on D.C. Governance

Trump’s endorsement of the budget fix comes amid a broader effort to reshape the governance of the nation’s capital. He has issued a series of statements and executive orders targeting issues like crime, homelessness, immigration, and gun control.

On Thursday night, Trump signed an executive order establishing the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force, aimed at tackling crime and urban decay. The order states, “America’s capital must be a place in which residents, commuters, and tourists feel safe at all hours, including on public transit. Its highways, boulevards, and parks should be clean, well-kept, and pleasant.”

Despite backing the budget fix, Trump used his social media post to reinforce his critique of D.C.’s leadership. “We need to clean up our once beautiful Capital City, and make it beautiful again,” he wrote. “We will be TOUGH ON CRIME, like never before. I will work with the Mayor on this and, if it does not happen, will have no choice but to do it myself.”

Statehood Debate Gains Renewed Attention

Eleanor Holmes Norton, Washington’s non-voting delegate in the House, welcomed Trump’s support for the budget fix but used the moment to highlight the long-standing push for D.C. statehood.

“As surprised as I am to have an occasion to agree with President Trump, in this instance, we agree that D.C. should be able to spend its own local funds at its own locally enacted levels,” Norton said in a statement. “This ordeal, however, only helps to highlight the need for D.C. statehood so that D.C. can finally govern itself to the same extent afforded to the states, including making decisions about how to use its own local funds.”

As the deadline approaches, all eyes remain on the House to see whether it will act to resolve the budget crisis or allow the financial uncertainty to continue.

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