President Donald Trump issued a provocative threat during a Cabinet meeting this week: If New York City elects a “communist” mayor, he might take the city over, just like he might take over Washington,

President Trump suggested a federal takeover of New York City and Washington, claiming a "tremendous power at the White House to run places when we have to."

Evan Vucci/AP “If a communist gets elected to run New York, it can never be the same. We have tremendous power at the White House to run places when we have to,” Trump said in an extended riff Tuesday in which he also criticized Washington’s local government,