President Donald Trump has called for the immediate removal of homeless individuals from Washington, D.C., urging they be relocated “far” away from the U.S. capital. His remarks, posted on Truth Social on Sunday, also hinted at a possible federal takeover of the city and stricter policing measures.
The comments come just days after the Trump administration increased the presence of federal law enforcement officers in D.C., following an alleged assault on a former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer. Trump said he will address the issue during a Monday morning press conference, promising a plan aimed at “ending the crime, murder, and death in our Nation’s Capital.”
“The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY. We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital. The Criminals, you don’t have to move out. We’re going to put you in jail where you belong,” Trump wrote alongside images of roadside encampments and trash.
The president also lamented what he described as the capital’s decline, writing, “Before the tents, squalor, filth, and crime, it was the most beautiful Capital in the world. It will soon be that again.”
Last week, Trump threatened to “exert [his] powers” to place Washington under federal control. His renewed push comes after reports of a violent attempted carjacking involving former DOGE employee Edward Coristine. Calling crime in D.C. “totally out of control,” Trump suggested a federal takeover if the local government “doesn’t get its act together, and quickly.”
While a full federalization of D.C. would require Congress to repeal the 1973 Home Rule Act which gave residents the power to elect their own mayor and council; the president does have limited authority to take over the Metropolitan Police Department in special emergency conditions. However, it remains unclear whether the current situation meets the legal threshold.
In addition to crime, Trump said his Monday press conference will address “cleanliness and the general physical renovation” of the city, criticizing its deteriorating state compared to past decades. He also referenced an expensive Federal Reserve office renovation project as an example of misplaced spending priorities.
Trump has long pressed cities to remove homeless encampments. In July, he signed an executive order instructing the Justice Department to challenge judicial rulings that limit state and local governments’ ability to commit individuals considered a danger to themselves or others. The order also directs federal agencies to prioritize grants for cities that enforce bans on urban camping, public drug use, and loitering. Advocacy groups such as the National Homelessness Law Center have criticized the policy, arguing it criminalizes poverty.
Despite Trump’s criticisms, violent crime in D.C. has been falling over the past year and a half after a spike in 2023. Local police data shows robberies have dropped by 29% this year, while overall violent crime is down 26% as of August 6. According to the Justice Department, violent crime levels last year were the lowest in more than three decades.
The city’s homeless population currently stands at about 5,138, according to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments; down 9% from last year but still higher than figures recorded in 2022 and 2023. Numbers were consistently above 6,000 during the 2010s.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser told MSNBC she does not know what Trump will announce on Monday, though she suspects a surge in federal law enforcement presence. She defended the city’s record on crime, saying that local police and federal partners have worked to reduce violence over the past two years.
“We are not experiencing a spike in crime,” Bowser said. “In fact, we’re watching our crime numbers go down.”
Trump, however, criticized the mayor in his Sunday posts, saying Bowser “is a good person who has tried” but that the city remains “dirtier and less attractive” despite her efforts.
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