US President Donald Trump has pledged to remove homeless people from the nation’s capital and jail those he deems criminals, a move he says will make Washington “safer and more beautiful than it ever was before.” In a post on his Truth Social account on Sunday, Trump declared: “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,” he added. He also wrote that the plan would be implemented “very fast” and without “Mr Nice Guy” treatment.
Trump is scheduled to hold a press conference at the White House today on what he described as efforts to “stop violent crime in Washington, DC.”
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National Guard deployment under discussion
Two US officials told Reuters that the administration is preparing for the possible activation of hundreds of National Guard troops in the city, though a final decision by the president has not yet been made. The officials said the role of the Guard, which could range from protecting federal agents to performing administrative tasks, remains under consideration.
Unlike in US states, where governors typically authorise Guard deployments, the president directly controls the National Guard in Washington, DC.
The White House has not detailed the legal basis for forcibly relocating homeless individuals from the capital.
Trump’s authority extends to federal lands and buildings, but not to city-controlled areas. According to the Community Partnership, as cited by Reuters, there are about 3,782 single persons experiencing homelessness in the city on any given night, most of them in shelters or transitional housing rather than on the street.
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A White House official told Reuters that 450 federal officers were deployed across Washington on Saturday following the violent assault of a young administration staffer. Over the weekend, federal agents investigated incidents including carrying pistols without licenses, driving with suspended licenses, and dirt bike riding in city streets.
(With inputs from Reuters)
