Federalizing a city generally means bringing that city under the direct control or jurisdiction of the federal government, as opposed to local or state governments having authority over it. In the context of Washington, D.C., to "federalize" the city would mean reversing its current local self- governance and putting its government, police, and services under federal government control. Washington, D.C. has a unique status as the seat of the federal government, created by the Constitution as a federal district. Historically, it was governed by federally appointed commissioners until 1973. The Home Rule Act of 1973 gave D.C. residents the power to elect a mayor and city council, granting it a significant degree of local autonomy, though Congress retains some oversight powers. Federalizing D.C. today would involve Congress overturning the Home Rule Act and rescinding local government authority, returning direct control to federal officials. The President alone cannot federalize the city; it requires Congressional approval since Congress holds plenary authority over the district. In a broader sense, to federalize a city outside D.C. would typically mean changing the governance structure so that the federal government assumes direct control over the city's administration, police force, or other services, often in response to extraordinary situations. This is highly unusual and constitutionally complex in the U.S. context, especially for cities that are part of states. So, federalizing a city means the process of bringing that city under direct federal government jurisdiction and control, typically by overriding or removing local governance structures and authority.