On Sunday, President Donald Trump committed to remove homeless individuals from Washington, D.C., and to incarcerate offenders, even as the city’s mayor contended that there is no significant increase in criminal activity at this time.
Amidst a backdrop of uncertainty regarding the specifics of the initiative, a US official has informed Reuters that the administration is set to mobilise hundreds of National Guard troops to Washington. This move echoes a contentious strategy employed by Trump in Los Angeles to address immigration protests, which faced significant pushback from local authorities.
An official has indicated that Trump has yet to reach a final decision, noting that discussions regarding the number of troops and their specific roles are ongoing.
In a notable departure from the norm observed in California and other states, where the governor usually holds the authority to activate National Guard troops, the president retains direct control over the National Guard in Washington, DC.
Historically, the Guard has been deployed in the city in reaction to significant events, such as the January 6, 2021, assault on the US Capitol by a group of Trump supporters.
“The homeless must vacate immediately,” Trump stated on his Truth Social platform. “Accommodations will be provided, but they will be located a considerable distance from the Capital.” The criminals are not forcing you to relocate. “You will be incarcerated where you rightfully belong.”
The White House refrained from clarifying the legal basis that former President Trump would invoke to remove individuals from Washington. The Republican president holds authority solely over federal land and buildings located within the city limits.
Former President Trump is set to hold a press conference on Monday, where he aims to address the issue of violent crime in Washington, DC. It remained uncertain if he would provide additional information regarding his eviction plan at that time.
According to the Community Partnership, an organisation dedicated to addressing homelessness in Washington, D.C., there are 3,782 single individuals facing homelessness on any given night in a city with a population of approximately 700,000.
According to the report, the majority of these individuals reside in emergency shelters or transitional housing, rather than living on the streets.
On Friday, a White House official announced that additional federal law enforcement officers would be sent to the city in response to a violent assault on a young staff member of the administration. This incident has provoked the president’s ire.
Federal agents conducted investigations on Friday night into alleged crimes that included individuals carrying pistols without licenses, motorists operating vehicles on suspended licenses, and instances of dirt bike riding, according to a White House official’s statement on Sunday.
On Saturday, an official confirmed the deployment of 450 federal law enforcement officers throughout the city.
According to the city’s police department, violent crime in Washington, D.C. decreased by 26% during the first seven months of 2025 compared to the same period last year, with overall crime experiencing a reduction of approximately 7%.
On Sunday, Muriel Bowser, the Democratic mayor of Washington, DC, asserted that the capital is “not experiencing a crime spike.”
“While it is accurate to say that we experienced a significant increase in crime in 2023, we must remember that we are no longer in that year,” Bowser stated during an appearance on MSNBC’s The Weekend. “Over the past two years, efforts have been focused on reducing violent crime in the city, achieving a reduction to levels not seen in three decades.”
Bowser stated that Trump was “very aware” of the city’s collaboration with federal law enforcement following their meeting in the Oval Office several weeks prior.
Since its establishment in 1790, the US Congress has maintained control over Washington, D.C.’s budget, drawing from land contributed by neighbouring Virginia and Maryland. Despite this federal oversight, residents of the district can elect their own mayor and city council.
For Trump to assume control of the city, Congress would need to enact legislation that would repeal the law instituting local elected leadership.
