White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt offered further details Tuesday regarding how the administration plans to address the homeless population in Washington, D.C., as part of President Donald Trump’s push to clean up the nation’s capital.
The previous day, Trump told reporters, “I’m announcing a historic action to rescue our nation’s capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam, and squalor, and worse. This is Liberation Day in D.C., and we’re gonna take our capital back. We’re taking it back.
“Under the authorities vested in me as the president of the United States, I’m officially invoking Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act … and placing the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department under direct federal control,” the president added.
Trump further announced that he would be deploying 800 D.C. National Guard to assist in the cleanup effort.
🚨 President Trump announces he is invoking the D.C. Home Rule Act to place the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department under direct federal control and deploy the National Guard.
“This is Liberation Day in D.C. — and we’re going to take our capital BACK.” pic.twitter.com/aqov60mrCW
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 11, 2025
On Tuesday, Leavitt elaborated, saying that the police are “going to enforce the laws that are already on the books here in Washington, D.C. For far too long, these laws have been completely ignored, and the homelessness problem has ravaged the city.”
She noted the law gives the MPD to authority to deal with homeless encampments.
Have you ever visited Washington, D.C.?
Leavitt explained that police officers will give the homeless the opportunity to leave the encampment, be taken to a homeless shelter, and be offered addiction or mental health services.
“If they refuse, they will be susceptible to fines or to jail time. These are pre-existing laws that are already on the books. They have not been enforced,” the press secretary reiterated.
.@PressSec says D.C. homeless can be taken to a homeless shelter and offered addiction and/or mental health services: “If they refuse, they will be susceptible to fines or to jail time. These are pre-existing laws that are already on the books. They have not been enforced.” pic.twitter.com/30u0YhBapA
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 12, 2025
Leavitt explained that the National Guard troops will be assisting police in the work to clean up the city.
“While we are targeting criminals and trying to remove criminals off the street, we also want to make D.C. safe and beautiful, and that involves removing mentally disturbed individuals and homeless encampments,” she said.
🚨Donna Carmichael posted this on FB regarding the state of Washington DC🚨
I agree with what President Trump has done! On my recent trip to Washington, DC, I was horrified at what I saw. I worked in Washington DC for decades. Upon my return, I witnessed homeless tents all… pic.twitter.com/Ny0XCy9Uji
— Michelle Maxwell (@MichelleMaxwell) August 12, 2025
During his remarks Monday, Trump said, “Our capital city has been overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youths, drugged-out maniacs, and homeless people, and we’re not going to let it happen anymore.
“We are going to be removing homeless encampments from all over our parks, our beautiful, beautiful parks. … We’re moving the encampments away, trying to take care of people,” he further stated.
.@POTUS on Making D.C. Safe Again: “We are going to be removing homeless encampments from all over our parks… We’re getting rid of the people from underpasses and public spaces… We’ll help them as much as you can help.” pic.twitter.com/Gu7O1ySWFz
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 11, 2025
“There are many places that they can go, and we’re going to help them as much as you can help, but they’ll not be allowed to turn our capital into a wasteland for the world to see,” Trump said.
The president recounted to reporters, “My father always used to tell me … ‘Son, when you walk into a restaurant and you see a dirty front door, don’t go in. Because if the front door is dirty, the kitchen is dirty also.’”
President Trump : “My father always used to tell me…’Son, when you walk into a restaurant & you see a dirty front door, don’t go in. Because if the front door is dirty, the kitchen is dirty also.’…If our capital is dirty, our whole country is dirty.” pic.twitter.com/HNvwZkcJqV
— JOSH DUNLAP (@JDunlap1974) August 11, 2025
Trump asserted, “If our capital is dirty, our whole country is dirty.”
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