Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser found herself at the center of a federal investigation this fall, after news broke that the Department of Justice (DOJ) was scrutinizing a 2023 foreign trip she took with four members of her staff to Qatar and Dubai. The trip, which was intended to promote Washington as a destination for investment and growth, has ignited debate in the capital and drawn national attention, with questions swirling about ethics, transparency, and political motivations behind the probe.
According to The New York Times, the federal investigation began in April 2025, following a local TV report that highlighted Bowser’s trip to Dubai for a United Nations conference, which included a stopover in Doha, Qatar. The controversy centers on who paid for the trip and whether the funding arrangement may have crossed ethical or legal lines. Qatari officials reportedly covered more than $61,000 of the expenses to bring Bowser and her team to Doha before the conference, a point that has since become the focus of intense scrutiny.
Initially, Bowser’s office stated that the D.C. Chamber of Commerce had paid for the trip. Later, they clarified that the U.S. Conference of Mayors—a nonpartisan organization—had covered the costs. However, it was later revealed that the U.S. Conference of Mayors only paid a portion, leaving questions about the remaining funding. This confusion prompted the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust, a nonprofit previously led by Trump’s former acting attorney general Matthew G. Whitaker, to file an ethics complaint regarding the trip.
Despite the swirling controversy, Mayor Bowser has maintained that the trip was strictly for business. In a statement provided to Newsweek, her office asserted, “We have checked with our lawyers, and the District has not been notified of any investigation. This was a business trip; DC representatives regularly travel to promote Washington as a destination for investment and growth. This regular work has helped bring investment, infrastructure, new business, new grocery stores, growth, and jobs to the District.”
The mayor doubled down on this defense during a press conference on November 7, 2025, telling reporters that she had not been contacted by any federal officials and had received neither subpoenas nor a target letter. “I have checked our lawyers, and we have a regular kind of chain of who talks to who and we have not been contacted, not related to me or to anybody else as I’m aware,” Bowser said, according to the Associated Press.
Bowser also described the trip as “a business trip, a publicly noticed trip to promote Washington, D.C., in Qatar. That's what we did and we don't have any bones about saying it.” She credited the visit with helping Washington keep two of its professional sports teams in the downtown area, a point she emphasized as evidence of the trip’s value to the city.
While initial reports suggested that the DOJ was investigating Bowser directly, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro issued a clarifying statement on November 7, 2025, stating that Bowser is “not under investigation, nor is she the target of any investigation.” Pirro’s office declined to provide further comment, but a source familiar with the matter told the Associated Press that the investigation is focused on a lobbyist tied to the mayor, not Bowser herself.
Law enforcement and administration officials echoed this position in comments to The Washington Post, reaffirming that while the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington is investigating the 2023 trip to Qatar, Bowser is not considered a target. The investigation’s precise scope and the identity of its subjects remain unclear, with officials declining to provide additional details.
The timing of the investigation has not gone unnoticed by political observers. As The New York Times noted, it comes at a moment when former President Donald Trump has been vocal about urging the DOJ to prosecute political opponents, many of whom have been Black, Democratic women leaders. The probe also unfolds as Bowser contemplates a potential fourth term and as the city grapples with the effects of a government shutdown, which has disrupted local businesses and the federal workforce. National Guard troops remain deployed on D.C. streets through at least February 2026, adding to the sense of political tension in the capital.
This is not the first time that U.S. political leaders have faced scrutiny over dealings with Middle Eastern nations. The Trump administration itself came under fire from Congress after accepting a 747 jetliner from Qatar as an upgrade to Air Force One, a gift valued at nearly $200 million—one of the largest foreign gifts ever given to the U.S. government.
For Bowser, the stakes are high. The outcome of the investigation could influence her political future and the city’s reputation. Yet, as of early November 2025, she remains adamant that her actions were above board. “This was a business trip; DC representatives regularly travel to promote Washington as a destination for investment and growth,” her office reiterated. The mayor’s team maintains that such trips are routine and essential for bringing new investment, infrastructure, and jobs to the District.
Still, the lack of clarity around the funding sources for the trip—and the ethics complaint that followed—have provided ammunition for Bowser’s critics. Transparency advocates argue that public officials should be scrupulous in disclosing who pays for their travel, especially when foreign governments are involved. Others see the investigation as part of a broader pattern of political targeting, especially given the recent history of federal prosecutors coming under pressure to pursue cases against certain political figures.
Meanwhile, supporters of the mayor point out that Bowser’s efforts on the international stage have brought tangible benefits to Washington, including keeping major sports franchises in the city’s core and promoting economic growth. They argue that the investigation is an unfortunate distraction at a time when the city faces pressing challenges, from economic uncertainty to managing the ongoing National Guard deployment.
As the investigation continues, the parameters of the case—especially whether any favors were exchanged with Qatari officials or if any campaign finance laws were intentionally violated—remain unresolved. For now, Bowser is not a target, and no evidence has emerged to suggest wrongdoing on her part. But the episode serves as a stark reminder of the scrutiny that comes with public office, especially in an era of heightened political polarization and suspicion.
With the city’s future and Bowser’s political ambitions hanging in the balance, all eyes remain on the DOJ’s next move—and on how Washington’s mayor navigates the turbulent waters ahead.
