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President Donald Trump vowed on Sunday to make Washington, D.C., “safer and more beautiful” as his administration doubles down on efforts to address crime and a growing homeless population in the nation’s capital.
“The homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY. We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post, sharing several photos of tent encampments to underscore his message.
PRESIDENT TRUMP INCREASES FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT PRESENCE IN DC FOLLOWING VIOLENT CRIME SURGE
“The criminals, you don’t have to move out. We’re going to put you in jail where you belong,” he wrote, adding that the new crackdowns on both issues are “going to happen very fast.”
“There will be no “MR. NICE GUY.” We want our Capital BACK,” Trump wrote, adding that more details on these efforts will be laid out during a press conference on Monday.
Trump has repeatedly characterized Washington, D.C., as “one of the most dangerous cities anywhere in the world.” On Saturday, Trump said his administration will “essentially, stop violent crime” in the nation’s capital.
Last week, Trump said he was weighing a federal takeover of D.C.’s police force, including the potential deployment of the National Guard, to confront rising crime in the capital.
The renewed focus follows a series of violent incidents in the city, some involving federal staffers, including a high-profile employee from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) who was a victim of an attempted carjacking.
TRUMP THREATENS TO FEDERALIZE DC AFTER EX‑DOGE EMPLOYEE BEATEN
“We have a capital that’s very unsafe, you know, we just almost lost a young man, beautiful, handsome guy that got the hell knocked out of him,” Trump said, referencing former DOGE employee Edward Coristine.
The president described crime in D.C. as “out of control,” with young “thugs” and “gang members” who are “randomly attacking, mugging, maiming, and shooting innocent citizens.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said last week in a statement to Fox News that “President Trump has directed an increased presence of federal law enforcement to protect innocent citizens. Starting tonight, there will be no safe harbor for violent criminals in D.C.”
“Washington, D.C. is an amazing city, but it has been plagued by violent crime for far too long,” Leavitt added.
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