Trump says D.C.’s Homeless Must “Move Out Immediately,” Vows Crackdown; City Pushes Back

President Donald Trump said homeless people in Washington, D.C., “have to move out, IMMEDIATELY,” pledging to relocate them “far from the Capital” and to jail criminals as part of a new law-and-order push in the nation’s seat of government. He said more details would come at a White House news conference on Monday.

In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump wrote that the administration would provide places to stay for the homeless away from central D.C., and warned there would be “no MR. NICE GUY” in tackling crime. The comments followed a recent surge of federal officers patrolling the city under an existing executive order. A White House official said hundreds of agents are already deployed; Reuters reported about 450 federal officers were sent over the weekend.

D.C. leaders condemned the remarks and questioned Trump’s authority to force removals or override the city’s home-rule powers. Mayor Muriel Bowser pointed to data showing violent crime has fallen this year, challenging Trump’s depiction of a city in crisis. Reports indicate the White House is weighing options ranging from deploying the National Guard to asserting broader federal control — moves likely to face legal challenges.

Trump’s demand also drew criticism from civil-rights and homelessness advocates, who warned that mass displacement without services would be unlawful and ineffective. The Guardian reported D.C. has nearly 800 unsheltered residents, with thousands more in shelters or transitional housing; the paper said the president’s team has suggested relocating people outside the city core.

The tough rhetoric comes amid a broader political fight over who governs the capital — and how. While Trump argues a federal blitz is needed to “make our Capital safer and more beautiful,” city officials say sustainable solutions require housing, treatment and courts staffing, not mass evictions.