Could DC merge with Maryland? Congressman proposes an escape from ‘MAGA colonialism’
Could the nation’s capital ever become part of another state?
That’s what Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) suggested on a March 10 episode of the City Cast DC podcast as he discussed Congress’ move to swiftly slash the district’s budget.
“I saw (Washington, D.C.) Mayor (Muriel) Bowser and I said, ‘If you guys want to think about coming back to Maryland for this period, you will definitely be safer in the free state then you’ll be under the brutal thumb of MAGA colonialism,’” Raskin said during the episode.
His comments come as a federal funding bill passed in the House of Representatives calls for a $1.1 billion cut to the district’s 2025 budget, the Associated Press reported. The cut would not save the federal government any money, according to a memo from the district’s local government shared by WJLA.
President Donald Trump has also made comments to reporters saying he wants to “take over” the governing of the nation’s capital, the Associated Press reported in February.
The suggestion of joining Maryland was popular among Washington D.C. residents, according to a survey of 1,243 Axios D.C. readers on March 12.
The survey found 82% of respondents supported the idea while 18% said they wanted Trump to take over the local government, Axios reported in its March 13 newsletter.
Could Washington, D.C. rejoin Maryland?
Just like most major government initiatives in the district, the merger would require approval from Congress.
The Republican-dominated Congress would need to pass the measure through both the House and Senate, which may be unlikely as Trump says he wants the federal government to have more power over the capital.
However, this is not the first time a Washington, D.C.-Maryland merger has been brought up in this decade.
A bill introduced by Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) in 2021 suggested the majority of the district be given back to Maryland.
Washington, D.C. statehood similarly would require passage through Congress.
A 2021 bill to admit the district as the 51st state passed through the House most recently in 2021 but has sat idle in the Senate for years.
Statehood could additionally require a constitutional amendment, according to the Ohio State Law Journal.
Local voters last voted on a referendum for statehood in 2016 where 79% were in favor of statehood, NPR reported.
Washington, D.C.’s history with Maryland
Washington D.C. used to belong to its two neighbors — Maryland and Virginia — until the land was ceded by the states in 1790 to form the nation’s capital. Then In 1847, the part of the city that was once Virginia was retroceded back, according to Washington.org.
Throughout the past two centuries, residents have continuously pushed to give the district more governance over itself, separate from the federal government, according to the Council of the District of Columbia.
The Home Rule Act of 1973, which was enacted by Congress and ratified by District voters, allows a 13-member council — including a chairman — to be elected that oversees local affairs, according to the council’s website.
Washington D.C. has two statehood senators and one representative that lobby Congress, but they do not have voting power, per the council.
The Senate is currently considering the federal spending bill, which if passed would lead to the $1.1 billion cut to D.C.’s local budget. The bill needs to pass before 11:59 p.m. on March 14 to avoid a government shutdown, USA Today reported.
