US President Donald Trump has vowed to evict homeless people from Washington, DC, claiming the city is plagued by crime. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote, “The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY. We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital.” He also threatened to jail individuals he deems “criminals,” stating, “The Criminals, you don’t have to move out. We’re going to put you in jail where you belong. It’s all going to happen very fast”.
Trump’s announcement comes despite Washington, DC’s mayor, Muriel Bowser, asserting that the city is “not experiencing a crime spike.” According to Bowser, violent crime has been driven down to a 30-year low in the city. The city’s police department reports a 26% decrease in violent crime in the first seven months of 2025 compared to the same period last year, with overall crime down about 7%. Bowser added that “any comparison to a war-torn country is hyperbolic and false,” pushing back against the White House’s rhetoric.
The Community Partnership, an organization working to reduce homelessness in Washington, DC, estimates that on any given night, there are approximately 3,782 single people experiencing homelessness in the city. Most of these individuals are in emergency shelters or transitional housing, while around 800 are considered unsheltered or living “on the street”. These figures are down from pre-pandemic levels.
The White House has not specified what legal authority Trump would use to evict people from the city. As the Republican president controls only federal land and buildings in Washington, DC, it’s unclear how he plans to implement his proposal. For Trump to take over the city, Congress would likely need to pass a law revoking the legislation that established local elected leadership, which Trump would have to sign.
Trump is set to hold a news conference on Monday to discuss his plan to “stop violent crime in Washington, DC”. It’s unclear whether he will provide more details about his eviction plan at the conference. In his post announcing the conference, Trump wrote, “I’m going to make our Capital safer and more beautiful than it ever was before”.²