“They want to pick up two senators, and it’s not going to happen,” the president added.

TRUMP’S TAKEOVER OF DC POLICE RENEWS THE 51ST STATE DEBATE

Trump’s decision this week to federalize the Metropolitan Police Department and deploy law enforcement officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the FBI, and the National Guard has reignited the movement for district statehood from Democrats at the local and national levels.

Though local police data show violent crime in the district at a 30-year low, the exponential increase of juvenile crime in several Washington neighborhoods prompted Trump to take control of the district. Democrats have largely pushed back against this, arguing that it is a step toward authoritarianism, while Republicans are eager to see a federal takeover and are pushing for Congress to go further and repeal the district’s “home rule.”

Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser advocated statehood on Monday while also offering a muted response to Trump’s federal takeover of the district, where the president and Republicans have claimed that crime is out of control.

However, Bowser took a stronger stance on Wednesday, stating that residents need to band together and do what they can to “protect our autonomy, to protect our home rule, and get to the other side of this guy, and make sure we elect a Democratic House so that we have a backstop to this authoritarian push.”

The district is unlikely to become a state in this political climate, given the narrow margins in the House and the 60-vote filibuster in the Senate. Republicans would be unlikely to support a measure that would grant the solid blue territory statehood and, therefore, likely grant two new Democratic seats in the Senate.

Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), who has pushed for statehood multiple times during her time in office, is introducing a bill when Congress returns in September to grant the district full control over the MPD and D.C. National Guard. The bill is unlikely to pass or even make it to the floor in the GOP-controlled chambers.

DC POLICE UNION BLAMES COUNCILMAN FOR CRIME SURGE: ‘IT’S YOUR FAULT’

Trump’s takeover of Washington’s police department can only extend 30 days unless Congress grants him an extension, which the president told reporters on Wednesday that he planned to do. He also said he would request a “relatively small amount of money” from Congress as part of his efforts to clean up the district.

“We’re going to make Washington beautiful,” Trump said. “We’re going to redo roads. We’re going to redo the medians, the pavers and the medians all throughout the city. We’re going to take all the graffiti off. We’re going to have to remove the tents and the people that are living in our parks. We’re going to be redoing the parks, the grasses, and all.”