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President Donald Trump’s federal takeover of Washington, D.C.’s law enforcement is facing criticism from an eyebrow-raising source: a D.C. city councilman who is facing charges of running a bribery scheme out of his office.
Trayon White, 41, was sworn in to the city council on Friday, having been elected to the post despite facing an upcoming trial on federal bribery charges in 2026. Asked about Trump’s then-threatened takeover of D.C. law enforcement, White argued that D.C.’s leaders are already “responsible,” and that a federal takeover would only “cripple” the city.
“I think we have one of the strongest budgets of any city for the last 20 years. We are fiscally responsible. We have a AAA bond rating. We’ve shown that we can be responsible with our funds. We don’t need federal interference. In fact, they’ve only crippled Washington D.C. and the progress we’ve made over the last four decades,” White told reporters.
The D.C. council voted to expel White in February as his bribery charges began to play out. He nevertheless won back his seat in July, basing his campaign around claims that the FBI had targeted him unjustly. He claimed last week that the federal agency was out to “kill” him.
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D.C. Councilmember Trayon White blasted Trump’s crime crackdown in D.C. even as he faces a bribery trial. (Astrid Riecken For The Washington Post via Getty Images)
“You know the FBI is after me, you know, but I believe that, you know, not just arrest me, but, you know, but I believe they want to kill me,” White told reporters Friday.
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The FBI arrested White in August 2024 after he was accused by federal authorities of agreeing to accept $156,000 in bribes. His trial is scheduled to begin in January 2026. White denies any wrongdoing and is pleading not guilty in the federal case, despite apparent video of him allegedly pocketing cash-stuffed envelopes.
District of Columbia councilmember elect Trayon White, center, pumps his fist as he arrives to his Ward 8 special election watch party, Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
A Justice Department statement from August 2024 alleges that White agreed to accept the bribes in exchange for “using his official position to pressure renewal” of contracts valued at $5.2 million.
Trump announced on Monday that his administration was federalizing the Metropolitan Police Department and deploying 800 National Guardsmen to the city in an effort to combat crime and homelessness. U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., Jeanine Pirro blames much of the problem on “young punks” who view themselves as untouchable by the law.
DC COUNCIL EXPELS TRAYON WHITE FOLLOWING FEDERAL BRIBERY CHARGE
The alleged bribery scheme was focused on violence-prevention programs, with White allegedly pressuring employees at the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE) and the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS) to re-up certain contracts.
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White was allowed to run in the special election because he had not been convicted of a felony.
“So we sent a message loud and clear to D.C. City Council that Trayon White is here to stay,” White said in his victory speech, according to the Associated Press. The outlet added that the troubled, once-ousted council member told the story of his return to office as one of resilience and redemption.
