Can Washington D.C. Be Granted Statehood Without a Constitutional Amendment?

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 2: 4:00pm- On Monday, President Donald Trump announced a 30-day federal takeover of Washington D.C.’s police department—while simultaneously deploying 800 National Guard troops—to fight violent crime in the nation’s capital. In response, Mayor Muriel Bowser has responded by insisting D.C. needs “full statehood.” However, Article I, Section 8, Clause 17 (the “District Clause”) gives Congress exclusive legislative authority over the federal district that serves as the nation’s capital. The framers intentionally set it apart from any state to avoid a single state from having undue influence over the federal government. While Congress could grant D.C. certain state-like powers through legislation, turning it into a state outright would remove it from the federal district—something many legal scholars believe can’t be done without amending the Constitution’s “District Clause.” 4:10pm While speaking with the press on Monday, President Donald Trump previewed his Friday meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin—noting that he will insist “you’ve got to end this war.” 4:30pm- Restaurants are shrinking portion sizes in reaction to Ozempic user preferences, Rosie O’Donnell releases a cryptic video to social media, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is 71—and ripped! Plus, never eat a potato chip cooked in olestra oil…unless you don’t mind “leakage.” 4:50pm- While speaking with Maria Bartiromo on Fox News, Vice President JD Vance argued that “California has way more House seats than it should because they have such a high population of illegal aliens.” Noting that “they get rewarded for welcoming illegal aliens into their state…asking the taxpayers of states like Ohio to subsidize them.”