A former Trump administration official has proposed a controversial strategy aimed at countering Virginia’s newly approved redistricting plan, suggesting that parts of Northern Virginia could be returned to Washington, D.C..
Virginia voters on April 21 narrowly approved a constitutional amendment that allows the state legislature to redraw congressional districts outside the normal process.
The measure passed with 51.5% voting yes and 48.5% voting no, according to results reported by the Associated Press and The New York Times.
The change could shift Virginia’s current 6-5 Democratic-Republican split in the U.S. House delegation to as many as 10-1 in favor of Democrats for the remainder of the decade.
Northern Virginia areas, including parts of Arlington and Alexandria, would account for a large share of the new Democratic-leaning seats.Governor Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, signed the legislation that put the referendum on the ballot. During her campaign for governor she had said she would not support such a move, but backed it once in office.
Former Trump Staffer Suggests Retrocession
Chad Mizelle, who served as chief of staff to the Attorney General during the first Trump administration and later at the Department of Homeland Security, published an op-ed on Fox News on April 21 outlining a possible response.
Mizelle proposed that President Trump issue an executive order declaring the 1847 retrocession of land from the District of Columbia back to Virginia unconstitutional.
In 1790, Virginia and Maryland ceded land to create the District of Columbia. The Virginia portion, which included what are now Arlington County and the city of Alexandria, was returned to Virginia in 1847.
Also Read: Trump Reveals Millions Iran is Losing Daily as Strait of Hormuz Standoff Deepens
Mizelle wrote that the retrocession occurred to protect slavery in Virginia after the District abolished it. He argued that the move became moot after the Civil War and that previous presidents, including William Howard Taft, viewed the retrocession as unconstitutional.
Trump New Step
Mizelle stated in the op-ed: “President Trump could issue an executive order declaring the slavery-motivated retrocession unconstitutional, triggering certain legal action, and allowing the courts to finally weigh in on whether the county of Arlington and the city of Alexandria, in fact, properly belong to the District of Columbia.”
He added that the order “would be on better legal footing than many of President Joe Biden’s most egregious orders, such as those imposing an eviction moratorium or forgiving billions in student debt.
”If implemented, the change would remove Arlington and Alexandria, areas with large numbers of federal employees and Democratic voters, from Virginia’s congressional map. Mizelle wrote that residents of the region “should feel right at home as part of D.C.”
Legal and Political Fight Expected
Any such executive order would face immediate court challenges. The Supreme Court has never ruled directly on the constitutionality of the 1847 retrocession.
Also Read: Trump Fires Back at Iran, Accusing Them of Repeated Ceasefire Violations
The proposal would likely require action by both the federal government and Virginia to transfer jurisdiction if upheld.
Mizelle noted that President Trump has taken legal steps on issues where no previous president has gone, including on birthright citizenship.
Why This Matters
Virginia’s new redistricting authority gives one party control over drawing maps in a competitive state, altering representation in the U.S. House ahead of the 2026 midterms. The narrow referendum result shows deep division among Virginia voters on the issue.
The suggested response through retrocession would test long-settled historical boundaries and force courts to examine 19th-century actions tied to slavery. It could reshape political power in the state and set a precedent for federal involvement in state district lines, regardless of the final legal outcome.
