On Sunday, President Donald Trump said he wants to make homeless people leave Washington DC and put criminals in jail.
Trump said all homeless people must leave the city right away. He said they will be given places to stay, but far away from the capital. He also said criminals won’t be moved out — they will be sent to jail instead.
The government plans to send the National Guard, a group of soldiers, to Washington to help with this. This is similar to what Trump did in Los Angeles before.
Usually, state leaders decide if the National Guard can be sent somewhere. But in Washington DC, the president has the power to make this decision.
Some people worry that Trump might be trying to take more control over Washington DC by doing this.
How Many Homeless People Live in Washington DC?
About 3,782 single people are homeless on any night in Washington DC, which has a population of about 700,000.
A recent count found about 5,138 homeless people living in the city on one night. This number is slightly lower than the year before.
In 2022 and 2023, homelessness had increased in DC, but it went down in 2024.
However, people who help the homeless say the real number might be higher. They also say the city’s budget for homeless services is not enough, which could cause problems in the future.
Why Is Trump Talking About Federalizing Washington DC?
Trump has talked about taking more control over DC before, but his recent plan made people worried again.
This came after a staff member from a government department was attacked during a carjacking on August 3.
Elon Musk, who supports Trump and leads the Department of Government Efficiency, also said DC should be federalized — meaning the federal government would take control of the city.
