Donald Trump has sparked fresh outrage after issuing a blunt warning to homeless people in Washington, D.C., telling them to “move out, immediately” or face prosecution.
The statement, posted to Truth Social on 10 August, comes just weeks after the president signed an executive order pledging to build “treatment centres” for homeless individuals across the country.
“I’m going to make our Capital safer and more beautiful than it ever was before,” Trump wrote. “The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY. We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital.”
The former president went on to warn that “criminals” would be jailed, writing: “There will be no ‘MR. NICE GUY.’ We want our Capital BACK.” He compared the planned crackdown to his border policies, adding: “Be prepared!”
The remarks have drawn sharp criticism from campaigners, who argue the policy is inhumane and does little to address the root causes of homelessness.
One critic on X wrote: “Trump demands homeless ‘move out’ with no support, no options besides ‘take them far away’. No budget to help because all the budgets [are] slashed to give tax breaks to the wealthy. How gross a human.” Another accused him of pushing the problem elsewhere: “Go be homeless somewhere else, just not in front of his shiny golden office.”
The comments follow Trump’s July executive order, Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets, which calls for the relocation of homeless individuals — including those with addiction issues or poor mental health — into treatment facilities. The order’s language and scope have raised fears of mass displacement, with critics warning that it could give law enforcement broad powers to forcibly move people into detention-like environments.
Jesse Rabinowitz, campaign and communications director at the National Homelessness Law Center, told The Guardian the plan was “one of the most harmful things to happen to folks who live outside in decades,” warning it could lead to the institutionalisation of vulnerable people without proper safeguards.
Trump’s stance on homelessness is not new. During his first term, he suggested reopening long-closed psychiatric asylums to remove “dangerous” individuals from the streets, particularly in Washington, D.C., and California. His latest order stops short of explicitly reviving those facilities but does reference “assisted outpatient treatment” and “institutional treatment” as part of the government’s strategy.
The White House is expected to outline further details of the plan in a press conference later today. Critics, however, have already signalled that they will challenge any measures they see as punitive or unconstitutional.
