Edith Hejberg
President Donald Trump has demanded that homeless people “move out” of the US capital immediately, promising to relocate them far from the city.
He linked the action to his push to reduce crime and improve the city’s appearance, saying he will hold a news conference to share a broader plan.
Mayor Pushes Back on Crime Claims
Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, rejected Trump’s portrayal of the city as unsafe, stating there is no current crime spike.
She noted that violent crime has dropped to a 30-year low after a difficult 2023, calling comparisons to war zones “hyperbolic and false.”
Tough Talk on Social Media
On Truth Social, Trump declared there would be “no Mr. Nice Guy” in reclaiming the capital. He promised accommodations for the homeless but “far from the Capital” and vowed jail time for criminals.
His posts featured images of tents and rubbish from homeless encampments.
Federal Officers Deployed
Trump has already sent federal law enforcement into Washington DC, including agents from the US Park Police, DEA, FBI, and US Marshals.
A White House official said up to 450 officers were on the streets over the weekend, with the possible addition of National Guard troops still under consideration.
Past Proposal for Homeless Relocation
Although details of the new plan remain unclear, Trump previously suggested in 2022 that homeless people could be moved to “high quality” tents on inexpensive land outside cities, with bathrooms and medical care available.
Crime Incident Sparks Response
The president’s remarks come after a 19-year-old former government employee was assaulted during an alleged carjacking in DC.
Trump posted a photo of the injured victim and used the case to highlight his claims about rising crime.
Ongoing Dispute Over City Control
As a federal district, Washington DC is under some presidential authority. Trump has hinted at taking control of the city’s police force, though Bowser says the legal conditions for such a move “do not exist” at present.
Homelessness by the Numbers
The Community Partnership, a local nonprofit, reports that about 3,782 people are homeless in the city of 700,000 residents on any given night.
Roughly 800 of them live on the streets, while the rest are in shelters or public housing.
Political Tensions Extend Beyond DC
Trump has previously clashed with Democratic city leaders, including in Los Angeles, where his deployment of National Guard troops over migrant raids led to a legal fight now headed to federal court.
His latest moves in DC appear to be part of that broader pattern of intervention.
