The six candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for D.C. mayor were asked that question during a Monday night forum at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library.

Ward 4 D.C. Council member Janeese Lewis George said she鈥檒l take an inside-outside approach. Inside, building relationships on the Hill, and outside working with “Attorney General Brian Schwalb and use every legal lever we have to fight back.鈥�

Former D.C. Council member Vincent Orange said he鈥檒l negotiate on some things, except “non-negotiable things like home rule, 鈥淒.C. autonomy and the pursuit of statehood.鈥�

“Other than that, we can least have a dialogue and to find the common ground,” Orange added.

Former At-large D.C. Council member Kenyan McDuffie said he鈥檒l push back on certain issues.

鈥淲e鈥檙e going to make sure on the first day in office that we end coordination between the Metropolitan Police Department and ICE,” he said.

McDuffie also said he鈥檒l work with the federal government to successfully bring a new Washington Commanders stadium to the RFK property, renovate Union Station and bring “thousands of jobs to the District of Columbia.”

Hope Solomon, who was born and raised in D.C., said it comes down to having the right tact with Trump.

鈥淪omeone鈥檚 got to negotiate right? You have a lot of spicy personalities up here; you鈥檝e got to pick the one that鈥檚 going to be able to negotiate with this administration,” she said.

Candidate Rini Sampath, a federal contractor, said she鈥檒l focus on protecting residents’ rights.

鈥淚 want to make sure every Washingtonian never has to live in the fear that their rights to protest, their rights to assembly, will be infringed upon by this administration,” she said.

Local business owner Gary Goodweather said his focus will keep the feds of D.C.鈥檚 back.

“The best thing that I can do is create a D.C. government that is so effective, so well run, that it lifts our D.C. residents up. Because when I create a government that serves you so well, denying us rights, having federal intervention, is going to be much easier to fight against,” he said.

The D.C. Democratic primary is on June 16.

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It was announced Thursday that Hakeem Jones, 28, will be held without bond in D.C. jail after being charged in the shooting death of 25-year-old Jamillah Gales.

Originally, police had charged him with second-degree murder.

In court, prosecutors said video from a nearby residence in the 600 block of Kenyon Street Northwest was used to help arrest Jones. According to prosecutors, it appears Jones and Gales were arguing before the shooting.

Gales, the toddler’s mother, dropped her son off with another person at an apartment on Kenyon Street NW about an hour before she was killed.

According to court records, video shows the 鈥渟uspect take a shooting stance with his arms outstretched in the direction of the decedent, pointing what appears to be a firearm with a flashlight attached.鈥�

Police said Gales was shot twice, once in the left upper back and once in the left lower back.

Jones’ attorney in court, however, said the video doesn鈥檛 establish the person seen in the footage as Jones. Prosecutors said it鈥檚 a match by height and weight.

According to court records, police said they later found a duffel bag and a black hoodie consistent with those worn by the shooter in the apartment where Jones was arrested.

The man watching Gales’ son notified police the child was there after hearing on the news that an Amber Alert had been issued. Jones is not the 2-year-old’s father.

Jones, who has two prior gun related convictions, is on parole for one of them and was just released from jail March 6.

He’ll be back in court May 6.

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The mostly civil, 90-minute discussion, addressed a range of issues, including housing, public safety, immigration policy and government accountability.

Much of the event, however, centered on affordability concerns tied to rising electric bills.

Some Pepco customers saw sharp bill increases during the cold weather this winter. The utility told the D.C. Council during a February hearing that since June 2025, customers in the District have seen an average monthly increase of about $22.

Ward 4 D.C. Council member Janeese Lewis George said more assistance is needed for low-income residents.

鈥淎llowing people not to have to opt-in to some of the low-income programs but to automatically be enrolled in those programs,” Lewis George said.

She also said she would stop utility cutoffs for residents who fall behind on payments.

Former at-Large D.C. Council member Kenyan McDuffie suggested a different approach to hold down costs.

鈥淢ake sure that we hold data centers accountable and that they are responsible for the increases. They should pay their fair share,” McDuffie said.

Former D.C. Council member Vincent Orange said he would use the power of the mayor’s office to pressure utility companies.

鈥淎s the mayor of the District of Columbia, you have the platform and you can put the squeeze on the utilities,” he said.

Candidate Rini Sampath, a federal contractor and the first South Asian candidate on the D.C. mayoral ballot, advocated for sustainable energy investments and accountability.

鈥淧epco will have to fight to continue to prove that they are the No. 1 utility provider for Washingtonians,” she said.

Hope Solomon, who was born and raised in D.C. and whose family has operated a business in the District since the 1970s, said transparency is lacking.

鈥淲e need a mayor in there that’s going to ‘open the kimono’ and figure out what the hell is going on in their backdoor conversations, and I feel your pain,” she said, adding “We can’t keep paying these high bills and getting zero results.”

Gary Goodweather, a D.C. businessman and Army veteran, offered a unique proposal to address the issue.

鈥淲e鈥檙e going to build a fourth-generation nuclear reactor, a small module nuclear reactor, to bring down electricity prices for D.C. residents,” he said.

Goodweather also said he wants The District to become one of the largest energy producers in the U.S.

The D.C. Democratic primary is June 16.

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Amelia Baker, a licensed and registered dietitian at Georgetown University Hospital, told WTOP that GLP-1 medications can be effective for weight loss by helping “suppress a hormone that is associated with hunger.鈥�

However, Baker said the medications are expensive and are not covered by all insurance plans.

That is where the danger can start, she said, when people seek compounded versions of GLP-1 medications, often advertised through medical spas, online clinics or telehealth providers rather than prescribed through a traditional primary care doctor or specialist.

鈥淲hat we鈥檙e signing up for when we commit to a compounded medication is a medication that鈥檚 not cleared by the FDA,鈥� she said.

According to , compounded medications are not reviewed or approved in the same way as brand-name or generic drugs. The agency said that 鈥渃ompounded drugs are not FDA-approved. This means that FDA does not verify the safety, effectiveness or quality of compounded drugs before they are marketed.鈥�

The FDA notes that compounded drugs can be legal when produced by licensed pharmacists or physicians who follow specific federal and state laws.

In some cases, compounded medications are allowed when a patient cannot be treated with an FDA-approved drug. An example would be a patient with an allergy to a specific dye who needs a medication made without it.

The FDA also said that compounders may prepare compounded versions of a drug that appears on , but only if the compounded product meets conditions outlined in federal law.

Baker said patients should always confirm whether a medication recommended to them outside a doctor’s office or hospital system is FDA-approved or compounded.

鈥淔ull stop. The safety mechanisms that have been put in place by our medication system, the Food and Drug Administration, are just not there,” Baker said.

While Baker said she understands why people who cannot afford prescribed GLP-1 medications might feel excluded by the health care system and turn to compounded options, she said other evidence-based weight-loss approaches remain available.

鈥淲e still have gastric bypass, we still have medical nutrition therapy in a more intensive behavioral therapy sense,” she said.

Baker also said dietary changes can support weight loss without medication. Most Americans and boosting fiber intake, she said, can help stimulate the body’s natural secretion of GLP-1.

Baker said increasing fiber in your diet is a way to “to dip your toe into increasing your satiety.”

Foods that can increase GLP-1 naturally include oatmeal, flaxseed, blueberries, leafy greens like spinach, fish and avocados, Baker told WTOP.

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Sitting on the edge of the steps leading up to the Lincoln Memorial is the Secret Handshake’s newest sculpture of a throne with a golden toilet as a seat.

On Monday afternoon, many tourists, locals and people out for exercise stopped to take a look at the golden throne, including Frank McGee of D.C.

鈥淭his is pretty good. In fact, it looks like it came from his own apartment,” McGee said.

McGee said he thinks there鈥檚 room for this kind of political commentary.

鈥淗e treats himself like a king and ignores the Constitution, and so do his people, his lackeys, his court. So I think it鈥檚 very appropriate,” he added.

A plaque on the statue reads, “A Throne Fit for a King,” along with an inscription.

鈥淚n a time of unprecedented division, escalating conflict, and economic turmoil, President Trump focused on what truly mattered: remodeling the Lincoln Bathroom in the White House. This, his crowning achievement, is a bold reminder that the president isn鈥檛 just a businessman, he鈥檚 taking care of business. It stands as a tribute to an unwavering visionary who looked down, saw a problem, and painted it gold,鈥� it reads.

Penny from D.C stopped and took a picture sitting on the 鈥渢hrone鈥� herself.

鈥淎ctually, I wouldn鈥檛 be surprised if he has one like this in the White House, or if he鈥檚 ordered them for the East Ballroom,” she joked.

The statue was placed by the group which is also behind a sculpture featuring Trump and financier and sex offender聽Jeffrey Epstein.

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According to organizers, the festival is a community-centered experience where you can decorate a floating paper lantern with personal messages of love, hope, remembrance or intention, and release them onto the water.

Jack Hawkins came all the way from Richmond, Virginia, to take part in the event.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e with friends, family and loved ones. You can put your dreams and hopes and everything in the lantern and, hopefully, they come true,” he said.

Hawkins wrote a special wish for his children on his lantern which read, 鈥淭he kids to have a bright and meaningful life with all the happiness in the world.鈥�

A woman named Tee said the lantern release represents hope for her. 鈥淟ife has been hard the last couple of months, and just the thought of being able to write it down and watch it flow away kind of connected with me,” she said.

One of the lanterns quoted scripture from the book of Psalms: 鈥淕od is with her, she will not fail.鈥�

Alyssa Bailey expressed gratitude on her lantern.

鈥淚 actually just served a mission for my church and so I wrote about how Jesus loves me and how he cares for me and loves other people,” she said.

Jessica Hawkins sees the event as a way to express what鈥檚 inside.

鈥淚 like the idea of getting your hopes and wants out, and putting it out in the world and watching what the future brings from there,” she told WTOP.

The festival runs through the weekend, with water lanterns launched each night at about 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are

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As Brian Cole’s attorneys, Mario Williams and John Shoreman with the Humanity Dignity and Rights law firm, have arguing the charges against him must be dismissed under President Donald Trump鈥檚 sweeping pardon of people who were charged and convicted of crimes during the attack on the Capitol.

In the president鈥檚 Trump granted 鈥渁 full complete and unconditional pardon to all other individuals convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021.鈥�

The court filing lists three main reasons why Cole should be treated like all the others who took part in the Capitol riot, saying the government鈥檚 own narrative of Jan. 6 proves he鈥檚 worthy of the pardon.

They argued Cole’s alleged actions were 鈥渕otivated by grievances about the 2020 presidential election; was directed at the headquarters of the two national political parties on Capitol Hill; and was timed ‘on the eve of the January 6 certification of the electoral college vote.'”

“Brian Cole鈥檚 conduct is so inextricably and demonstrably tethered to the events at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, that he must be pardoned pursuant to the applicable Presidential Pardon of January 20, 2025,” the filing argues.

In the same filing, however, they dispute all the allegations against Cole and note that he maintains his innocence.

鈥淔or this motion, however, the critical point is how the government itself describes his alleged conduct 鈥� when it occurred, where it occurred, and what it was allegedly about,” they wrote.

Cole, who lives in Woodbridge, Virginia, was arrested in early December 2025 and charged with transporting an explosive device across state lines and attempted malicious destruction by means of fire and explosive materials. He’s been in jail since his arrest and the judge in his case has not set a trial date.

He has been diagnosed with autism and obsessive-compulsive disorder, The Associated Press reported. His attorneys say he has no criminal record.

Cole has pleaded not guilty in the case, but apparently confessed to the acts in interviews with investigators, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.

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This week鈥檚 attack outside a synagogue in Michigan is another reason why the Washington Hebrew Congregation says the security is necessary.

In the attack in Michigan, a man rammed his vehicle into Temple Israel outside Detroit. The man, later identified by officials as Lebanese immigrant Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, took his own life outside the synagogue and a security guard was injured; none of the children inside the synagogue school were hurt.

鈥淭he security infrastructure that we are putting in place, unfortunately, is going to be permanent moving forward,鈥� said Lindsay Feldman, executive director of the Washington Hebrew Congregation.

She explained that, given the current climate, it unfortunately must be.

鈥淚n the wake of Oct. 7, there鈥檚 been an increase in antisemitism that followed and continues to this day,” Feldman added. 鈥淭hat鈥檚, unfortunately, our new reality it鈥檚 unacceptable, but it is our new reality.鈥�

At the Washington Hebrew Congregation, Feldman said the measures they鈥檝e been forced to take do provide peace of mind for people.

鈥淭here鈥檚 seen security, there鈥檚 unseen security; and our goal is to always ensure people feel safe, not just are safe, but feel safe and spiritually at home when they walk through our doors,” she said.

One of the difficult realities is the cost of those security measures, and that鈥檚 especially tough for nonprofit religious institutions.

But Feldman said Washington Hebrew is focused on protecting their community.

鈥淲e are focused on supporting one another and ensuring that our synagogues remain places meaning, connection and Jewish life,” she said.

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There was music, food and connection at the Columbia Heights Community Center at a first-of-its-kind event called the Teen Summit.

The D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation hosted the event and Director Thennie Freeman said the goal was to provide space for real conversations.

鈥淥ur teens feel like they haven鈥檛 been heard,” Freeman said. “So they wanted us to hear from them so that we can shape programs and design programs that they will come and participate in.”

Kaitlyn Arbit is a 10th grader at Coolidge Senior High School who spoke at the summit. She said one thing that鈥檚 hard for teens is the reoccurring youth curfews in the city.

鈥淭hose kids who are not making the correct choices at the time are having a huge impact on all of us, because now it鈥檚 detrimental to our childhood experience. We鈥檙e not allowed to go out without adults; we’re not allowed to go here after a certain time,” she said.

Jordan Williams, a recent graduate of Ballou High School, also attended the event.

鈥淚 think one of the hardest things about being a teenager in D.C. is always having to be on guard,” he said.

Williams said peer pressure, social media and community violence are some of his biggest concerns.

鈥淚t puts a strain on your mental (health), trying to always be on guard 100%, trying to be on guard when you go to school, being on guard at school, being on guard after school,” he said. “You’re not able to prioritize the things that are actually important.”

He said it鈥檚 hard because he can never let his mind rest.

The D.C. DPR said the summit was a win because even if kids did not open up at the event, they now know the district’s recreational centers are safe places to be and connect with adults who care about them.

鈥淵our recreation staff may be your first line of communication when you find yourself in trouble and you don鈥檛 necessarily want to talk to a parent,鈥� Freeman said.

There are plans to repeat the summit next year, according to Freeman. “We’re just introducing the concept that there are adults that care about you and … are shaping programs with you in mind,” she said.

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Many people give up food or a certain habit. Others give up sweets or using foul language.

Local Catholics who are part of the diocese of Arlington are being asked to make an even larger commitment this weekend.

Deacon Marques Silva of the Catholic Diocese of Arlington has introduced the “” where church members are encouraged to “walk away, to whatever degree we鈥檙e able to, from our phones and social media.”

The event runs March 13-15. Lent lasts for 40 days, starting on Ash Wednesday through Easter Sunday on April 5.

Silva said the diocese isn’t against technology or social media, but sees the growing issue of “doomscrolling” and mental health problems

“What we’re trying to encourage and help people understand, is that excessive screen time, it’s something that affects us all,” he said. 鈥淲e need 鈥� that rest and recharging, and this opportunity can help us capture that.鈥�

Silva said it’s important during Lent to mentally, physically and spiritually prepare for Easter and spend more time in prayer and reflection.

鈥淐onnecting not only with our family, our friends, our community, but also ourselves,” he said. “The denying of things is ordered to that intention of right order in our life, to God Himself.”

The diocese asked laypeople on its website if they’re spending more time with our devices than with God and are we investing more time on social media than on nurturing in-person relationships within our communities?

Silva is urging people to take these questions to prayer: 鈥淚t can reorient us to God and it reminds us of our needs.鈥�

Silva said he鈥檚 participated in weekends with teenagers who give up their phones and sometimes feel they don鈥檛 want to go back.

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In an emergency hearing Thursday afternoon before U.S. District Court Judge Christopher Cooper, attorneys for Ohio Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty, who is a trustee on the Kennedy Center board, asked for court orders on two main topics.

For one, Beatty asked the White House to immediately provide her with the details and documents about the proposed closing and renovations that are expected to be voted on Monday at 12:30 p.m.

Thursday’s hearing was part of a lawsuit Beatty filed in December to stop Trump’s efforts to rename the performing arts center.

Her attorney, Norman Eisen, said this is not a routine renovation.

鈥淲e are talking here about a vote where absolutely no information has been provided about shuttering and demolishing a substantial part (of) our nation鈥檚 performing arts treasure,” he said.

Justice Department attorney William Jankowski told the judge that the federal government is hesitating to provide Beatty with those materials because they want to give out the most accurate information before the meeting and, 鈥渋t could take up to that moment to get materials out.鈥�

Beatty is also asking the judge to issue an order that would clear the way for her to speak at the meeting. She said she was prevented from speaking at a Kennedy Center board meeting in December where a vote was taken to change the name of the Kennedy Center to the “Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.”

“I am hopeful that I will be able to express myself, based on the information that I hear then or I receive before. But I will be vocal,” Beatty said.

Nathaniel Zelinsky, with the Washington Litigation Group, suggested in the hearing that there is no reason to believe March 16 meeting will be any different.

鈥淭he next thing you know, the bulldozers are at the front door,” he said.

Cooper said he鈥檒l make a ruling quickly and may also decide on a request from Beatty for a restraining order that would halt the Trump administration from firing Kennedy Center employees and canceling performances, and would pause any other steps toward closing, renovating or demolishing any part of the Kennedy Center.

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Metro has installed a 3-foot-tall bollard and safety signs in front of a bank of escalators heading out of the station. The signs say “no luggage on escalators,” and the bollard features pictures of a baby stroller, scooter and bicycle and the words “elevator use only.”

The transit system said in that it’s testing the removable bollard to encourage riders with large suitcases to use the elevator instead. Metro said it鈥檚 an initiative to reduce trips and falls and improve safety for everyone.

After watching people approach the bollard and signs for about 15 minutes Friday night, almost everyone ignored the safety equipment and got on the escalator with their bags anyway.

Sophia Moran had never seen the bollard before and is not sure the safety warnings are needed.

鈥淚 guess if you鈥檙e responsible with your luggage and don鈥檛 have vertigo, you鈥檙e not going to fall down,鈥� she joked.

Polo Morales walked right past the bollard and the signs but saw them after WTOP pointed them out. He said he doesn鈥檛 think they will stop many people.

鈥淲ell, at least now I know I鈥檓 not supposed to, but if I was really determined they wouldn鈥檛 stop me,鈥� he said.

Metro has not specified how long they will continue this experiment, or at how many stations it may permanently install the bollards.

One rider, Sam Daniels, did take the elevator because she had a few big bags. She said she can see how the safety measures may be a good idea.

鈥淲hat if there was an emergency and somebody needs to come down and there鈥檚 all these bags in the way?” she said.

The safety bollards are in use in other airports across the country.

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The Office of the People鈥檚 Counsel, an independent D.C. government agency that protects consumers, brought the lawsuit, saying the Public Service Commission鈥檚 approval came without the type of trial-style hearing required when the facts about the need for a rate increase are in dispute.

The Office of the People’s Counsel said in the lawsuit that the petitioners were entitled to an evidentiary hearing, where the parties would have the opportunity to present expert witnesses and cross-examine adversarial witnesses, before the Commission could approve any multi-year rate plan.

The D.C. Court of Appeals agreed, writing in its to vacate the rate increase.

鈥淲e agree that this was a contested case which required the Commission to hold a trial-type evidentiary hearing.鈥�

Sandra Mattavous-Frye with the People’s Counsel says that any time a regulatory commission is asked to increase utility rates, it is exercising the public trust.

鈥淭hat trust cannot be satisfied by paper filings and legislative-style hearings alone,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t requires a thorough development of the evidentiary record鈥攕worn testimony, transparent data, and the opportunity to test claims through cross-examination.”

In a statement, the People鈥檚 Counsel said that the Court鈥檚 ruling was “a victory for process and a victory for consumers.”

A Pepco spokesman says the company is reviewing the court鈥檚 decision and 鈥渞emains focused on providing safe, reliable and affordable service for customers in the District.鈥�

鈥淲e are committed to working constructively with the Commission, stakeholders, and the public to reach an outcome that is fair, transparent, and in the best interest of customers,” Pepco said.

The next step is a full evidentiary hearing before considering any rate increases. It鈥檚 unclear of the timing of that hearing.

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A marathon public hearing lasting almost four hours took place before the National Capital Planning Commission, but before the public comments started, some changes to the proposed building were announced, including a change to the overall height.

Matthew Flis, an urban planner with the commission, said a triangle structure has been removed from the plans on the front of the building facing Pennsylvania Avenue.

鈥淚mportantly, the project will not exceed the height of the mansion, which is approximately 60 feet,” Flis said.

Before the public comments, commission staff recommended to the full commission to approve the project.

That prompted Terry Burstein, who聽offered public comment, to question why the hearing was being held.

鈥淲hy have someone spend their time and all of you spend time and funds to offer the public the opportunity to comment, as I am doing now, if the decision to move forward with the ballroom has already been reached?鈥� Burstein asked.

Several dozen people spoke, including Bryan Green, who called the proposed size of the building, almost 90,000 square feet, overwhelming: 鈥淭he White House is a national historic landmark and the people鈥檚 house. Any visible change must be exceptionally restrained.鈥�

Architect David Scott Parker also said the ballroom size is out of proportion.

鈥淚t is nearly three times the original White House, a violation of classical architectural principles,鈥� he said.

Rebecca Miller, executive director of the D.C. Preservation League, spoke against the project as well, saying it would “detract from the dignified atmosphere” of the White House grounds.

鈥淭his stark shift in design reflects a troubling impulse directed toward grandiosity that would prioritize spectacle over the subtleties of the history and imagery of our country,” Miller said.

Not all the comments were negative, but the positive ones were sparse.

Tara Brown said she likes the design.

鈥淚 think this is great that our president is giving us a gift of this incredible ballroom that is much needed,” she said.

A final vote on the facility is set for early April. It鈥檚 the last hurdle for the Trump administration to clear before it can build the $400 million building.

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People woke up to the news Saturday of the major attack on Iran launched by Israel and the United States.

For nearly two hours, speaker after speaker gathered on the far end of Lafayette Park, across from the Executive Mansion, and criticized President Donald Trump and the airstrikes.

Bella Javidan, with the National Iranian American Council, addressed the crowd: 鈥淚 am an Iranian American and I鈥檓 here because our government is killing my people.鈥�

A man with the Party for Socialism and Liberation, who identified himself only as Nick asked, 鈥淚s this about preemptively deterring nuclear war?鈥�

The crowd roared back, “No!”

A woman named Lubna, who said she represented the Palestinian Youth Movement, also criticized the attack.

“The U.S. seeks to violate the sovereignty of Iran much like it has done and continues to do in Venezuela,” she said.

In a statement posted on Facebook, the more than two dozen groups that organized the protest said they feared 鈥渢he conflict has the potential to quickly expand into a devastating regional war.鈥�

D.C. resident Don Powell, who attended the protest, told WTOP: 鈥淪o far Trump has bombed seven countries in the last four months. I don鈥檛 know where it鈥檚 going, but the way to do regime changes is not to bomb countries.鈥�

Protesters carried signs reading at the protest saying ‘No War’ and ‘Bombs don’t hide files’.

Organizers said they expect more rallies if the attacks on Iran continue.

Trump said Monday that operations are likely to last four to five weeks but that he was prepared 鈥渢o go far longer than that.鈥�

WTOP/Kyle Cooper

WTOP/Kyle Cooper

WTOP/Kyle Cooper

WTOP/Kyle Cooper

WTOP/Kyle Cooper

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