WASHINGTON (BN24) — President Trump declared Sunday that homeless people should be moved out of Washington, D.C., “IMMEDIATELY” and relocated “FAR” from the capital, as he hinted at more aggressive federal policing and suggested placing the city under federal control.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that homeless individuals must be removed from the nation’s capital immediately, promising alternative housing locations distant from Washington. “The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY. We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital,” the president posted alongside photographs of roadside encampments and garbage.
The president’s social media posts came as his administration announced increased federal law enforcement presence in D.C. following the alleged assault of a former Department of Government Efficiency staffer. Trump suggested he may take additional action, announcing a Monday morning press conference that he said would “involve ending the Crime, Murder, and Death in our Nation’s Capital.”
“The Criminals, you don’t have to move out. We’re going to put you in jail where you belong,” Trump continued in his Sunday morning post. “There will be no ‘MR. NICE GUY.’ We want our Capital BACK.”
Trump indicated his press conference would address “Cleanliness and the General Physical Renovation and Condition of our once beautiful and well maintained Capital,” specifically citing a costly Federal Reserve office renovation project as an example of mismanagement.
The president’s threats come despite declining crime statistics in Washington. Violent crime in D.C. has been decreasing for the past year and a half after spiking in 2023, according to local police data. Robberies have dropped 29 percent and overall violent crime has decreased 26 percent so far this year as of August 6.
Last year, violent crime in the capital reached its lowest level in more than 30 years, according to the Justice Department. The data contradicts Trump’s characterization of Washington as experiencing escalating criminal activity.
Regarding homelessness, approximately 5,138 people are currently homeless in D.C., representing a 9 percent decrease from the previous year according to a recent tally by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. While this figure exceeds the numbers recorded in 2022 and 2023, when homeless populations remained below 5,000, it represents a significant decline from the more than 6,000 homeless individuals reported throughout the 2010s.
Trump has consistently pressured cities to remove homeless populations from public spaces. Last month, he signed an executive order directing the Justice Department to “reverse judicial precedents and end consent decrees that limit state and local governments’ ability to commit individuals on the streets who are a risk to themselves or others.”
The order also instructed federal agencies to prioritize grants for cities that “enforce prohibitions on open illicit drug use, urban camping and loitering.” The directive drew criticism from advocacy organizations including the National Homelessness Law Center.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser told MSNBC Sunday that she remained uncertain about Trump’s Monday announcement but suspected “he is surging federal law enforcement” in the city. Bowser spoke to the cable network before Trump’s most recent social media posts, which included criticism of her leadership.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that Bowser “is a good person who has tried, but she has been given many chances, and the Crime Numbers get worse, and the City only gets dirtier and less attractive.” The statement contradicted available crime statistics showing significant decreases in violent offenses.
Bowser defended local officials’ crime-fighting efforts, telling MSNBC that police and federal partners “have spent over the last two years driving down violent crime in this city.” The mayor acknowledged the city’s need for federal assistance, noting that D.C. prosecutors work for the Justice Department and local judges are nominated by the president.
“We are not experiencing a spike in crime,” Bowser said. “In fact, we’re watching our crime numbers go down.”
The mayor’s comments highlighted the unique federal relationship Washington maintains as the nation’s capital, where many law enforcement and judicial functions fall under federal rather than local control.
Trump’s possible next steps regarding federal intervention in D.C. remain unclear, though his social media posts suggest significant action may be announced during Monday’s press conference. The president’s threats of federal takeover would represent an unprecedented assertion of executive authority over the nation’s capital city.
The Trump administration’s increased federal law enforcement presence follows the alleged assault incident involving a former DOGE staffer, though specific details about that incident have not been publicly disclosed.
The president’s characterization of Washington as crime-ridden and deteriorating contrasts sharply with available statistical evidence showing improvements in public safety metrics over the past year and a half.
