Key points
- Washington’s annual homeless count increased 14pc in 2024
- Numbers remain lower than during the COVID-19 pandemic
- City notifies residents of the encampments to leave
ISLAMABAD: US President Donald Trump has directed Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser to remove “unsightly homeless encampments” in the nation’s capital.
Trump stated that if Bowser did not take action, the federal government would intervene.
The city’s annual homeless count showed a 14 per cent increase in 2024, though numbers remain lower than during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Straight Arrow News.
Trump stressed the presence of homeless encampments near several federal buildings, including the US State Department and the White House, and warned that if the situation was not resolved, his administration would take direct action.
“Must become CLEAN and SAFE”
“We have notified the Mayor of Washington, D.C., that she must clean up all of the unsightly homeless encampments in the City, specifically including the ones outside of the State Department, and near the White House,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Trump also said, “If she is not capable of doing so, we will be forced to do it for her! Washington, D.C. must become CLEAN and SAFE! We want to be proud of our Great Capital again. Thank you Mayor Bowser for your efforts on behalf of the Citizens of our Country. Hopefully you will be successful!”
Bowser’s response
Bowser defended the city’s approach, noting protocols for clearing encampments and providing shelter options.
At a press conference a day after Trump’s order, Bowser emphasised that the city has reliable protocols, stating, “We always clear homeless encampments—we always do—and we do it according to protocols that have worked in the district.”
Encampments’ removal
Bowser also acknowledged the importance of proper notice, explaining that the city operates on a schedule that has been effective in the past.
The Washington Post reported the city began notifying residents of the encampments on Thursday, giving them 24 hours to vacate the area.
Bowser has already planned to remove some of the city’s largest encampments, though housing options need to be identified first.
