President Donald Trump on Sunday pledged to remove homeless people from Washington, D.C., and put criminals "in jail," escalating a public safety push that city leaders say overstates current crime levels.
What Happened: "The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY," he wrote on Truth Social. "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."
He said that he will hold a Monday press conference to "stop violent crime in Washington, D.C."
Details of the plan remain unclear. A U.S. official told Reuters the administration is preparing to deploy hundreds of National Guard troops to the capital, though no final decision has been made and roles are still being determined. Unlike states, where governors activate Guard units, the D.C. National Guard answers to the president.
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser rejected the premise of a surge in crime, noting D.C. police data show violent crime down 26% and overall crime down about 7% so far this year compared with 2024. "We are not experiencing a crime spike," she said to MSNBC on Sunday.
Why It Matters: The White House last week increased federal presence in the city after a brutal assault on a young administration staffer that angered Trump. By Saturday, officials told Reuters that 450 federal officers were on D.C. streets. On Sunday, Trump posted his homelessness directive and previewed Monday's briefing.
Legal questions loom. The White House has not explained what authority it would use to evict people citywide. The federal government directly controls federal lands and buildings in D.C. Prior Guard deployments in the District have included the response to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
Trump has been clear on his public-safety agenda in the capital, including an executive order in March this year directing the cleanup of homeless encampments on federal land and earlier talk of a federal takeover of D.C. governance. Those moves frame Sunday's vow and the potential Guard deployment now under consideration.
Photo: noamgalai from Shutterstock
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