Former President Donald Trump has announced a plan to address crime and homelessness in Washington DC, calling for the immediate removal of homeless individuals from the capital and deploying hundreds of federal law enforcement officers to the city. He emphasized a zero-tolerance approach, stating that while homeless people would be relocated to areas “far from the Capital,” criminals would be jailed. The initiative follows a recent violent incident involving a former government employee and includes a scheduled news conference to unveil broader plans for crime reduction and urban revitalization. Trump’s previous proposals have included relocating homeless populations to tent communities on inexpensive land outside urban centers, with access to basic services.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser strongly rejected Trump’s claims, asserting that the city is not experiencing a current crime spike and highlighting federal data showing a 30-year low in overall violent crime. She criticized comparisons of DC to Baghdad as exaggerated and inaccurate, and dismissed Trump’s threat to take control of the city’s police department, noting that legal conditions for such federal intervention are not met. Despite a relatively high homicide rate, Bowser emphasized ongoing efforts to reduce violence and improve public safety. The clash underscores tensions between federal authority and local governance in the unique context of Washington DC, a district where presidential powers over land and law enforcement are broader than in other cities.