President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he plans to remove homeless people from Washington, D.C., and jail criminals, even though the city’s mayor says crime is not on the rise.
The White House did not explain what legal powers Trump would use to evict people. As president, he controls only federal land and buildings in the capital. Trump will hold a press conference on Monday about “stopping violent crime” in D.C., but it is unclear if he will share more details of his eviction plan then.
Donald Trump Wants to Beautify Capital City by Pushing Homeless Individuals Out of It
In a post on Truth Social, Trump shared pictures of tents and trash on city streets, saying, “I’m going to make our Capital safer and more beautiful than it ever was before.”
According to the Community Partnership, an organization that works to reduce homelessness in D.C., about 3,782 single people experience homelessness on any given night in the city of roughly 700,000 residents. Most stay in emergency shelters or transitional housing, but about 800 live outdoors.
A White House official said Friday that more federal law enforcement officers were being sent to the city after a violent attack on a young Trump administration staffer, which upset the president. On Friday night, federal agents investigated cases such as carrying pistols without a license, driving with suspended licenses, and dirt bike riding. On Saturday, 450 federal officers were deployed in D.C.
Law Enforcement Officers Say No Surge in Crime in City
Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, said Sunday that the city is “not experiencing a crime spike.” Police data shows violent crime in the first seven months of 2025 is down 26% compared to last year, and overall crime is down about 7%. Bowser said Trump knows about the city’s cooperation with federal law enforcement after meeting with him at the Oval Office a few weeks ago.
Although Congress has ultimate control over D.C.’s budget, residents elect a mayor and city council. For Trump to take direct control of the city, Congress would likely need to pass a law ending local elected leadership, and Trump would need to sign it.
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