Mayor Muriel Bowser Announces Resignation After Ten Years in Office

By Jim Mishler | Tuesday, 25 November 2025 03:33 PM EST

Mayor Muriel Bowser revealed she will not run for a fourth term as Washington, D.C.’s chief executive, stating that she is stepping down after a decade in office.

Bowser shared her decision in an interview with D.C.’s News4, saying, “It was time for me to pass the baton onto the next set of leaders who are going to take our city to the next level.” She explained that the choice was made for her family and that now is the time to pursue something new while she still has “a lot of energy, vigor, and great ideas.”

Bowser admitted the decision was challenging. “It’s probably the hardest thing I’ve had to do, to walk away from a job I love,” she said. “But I know we’ve accomplished the things I’ve set out to do.”

Bowser shared her news on social media, writing, “It has been the honor of my life to be your Mayor. Together, we have built a legacy of success of which I am intensely proud.” She added, “With a grateful heart, I am announcing that I will not seek a fourth term. For the next 12 months, let’s run through the tape and keep winning for DC.”

Bowser confidently stated she could win reelection if she ran. “I’ve never lost an election,” she said.

The mayor spent the past year navigating concerns of D.C. residents with the policies of President Donald Trump. She avoided direct confrontation with Trump, who has threatened to overturn the District’s home rule authority. The dynamic grew more complicated during the federal surge of law enforcement in the city.

When asked whether residents should worry about Trump acting on those threats under a different mayor, Bowser said, “I believe that I am putting the District in the best possible place.” She added, “I serve the residents of the District of Columbia. So, they’ll be the first to know.”

Bowser first won the office in 2014 after representing Ward 4 on the D.C. Council. She is only the second person in city history, after Marion Barry, to serve three consecutive terms as mayor.

Bowser faced criticism over her handling of federal law enforcement activity in the District during Trump’s tenure. She acknowledged that the surge helped drive down crime while some residents experienced anxiety over fears of ICE involvement. After a federal judge ruled in November that the National Guard’s deployment in Washington was unlawful, Bowser called the decision a move “in the right direction.”

Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.