Trump told DC Mayor Bowser she ‘must clean up’ homeless encampments within city
President Donald Trump said he has notified Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser that she needs to “clean up all of the unsightly homeless encampments” within the city or the federal government “will be forced to do it for her.”
In a Truth Social post on Wednesday, the president specifically referenced areas near the State Department and the White House that are populated with homeless encampments that need to be removed, adding that the nation’s capital “must become CLEAN and SAFE!”
“If she is not capable of doing so, we will be forced to do it for her!” Trump wrote, in part. “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!”
TRUMP THROWS SUPPORT BEHIND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TAKING OVER DC
President Donald Trump said the federal government “will be forced” to clean up the “unsightly” homeless encampments within Washington, D.C., if Mayor Muriel Bowser doesn’t have it done herself. (Getty)
Trump has previously stated that he supports the federal government taking over the nation’s capital if it cannot be managed correctly, adding that the city cannot remain as it is when foreign leaders come to town.
“They’re not doing the job,” Trump said last month, arguing that there is “too much crime” and “too many tents on the lawns – these magnificent lawns.”
Despite his criticism of the city, Trump has said he likes the Democratic mayor personally. The two met in December to discuss their shared priorities for Washington, D.C., a moment that was described by Bowser as a “great meeting.”
Homeless people live in tents on the sidewalk near the White House in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 20, 2025. (Fatih Aktas/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“President Trump and I both want Washington, DC to be the best, most beautiful city in the world and we want the capital city to reflect the strength of our nation,” Bowser said in December.
DC BLACK LIVES MATTER PLAZA TO GET NEW LOOK, REPLACE STREET MURAL AS PART OF ‘EVOLUTION’
Trump’s social media post on Wednesday also comes one day after Bowser announced the city will be replacing its controversial Black Lives Matter Plaza with murals by students and artists as part of DC’s America 250 project ahead of the country’s 250th anniversary next year.
When the plaza was constructed in 2021, Bowser said it would be a permanent installation.
Black Lives Matter Plaza was constructed in Washington, D.C., near the White House in 2021. It was initially planned to be a permanent installation within the city. (Andrew Harnik, file)
“The mural inspired millions of people and helped our city through a painful period, but now we can’t afford to be distracted by meaningless congressional interference,” Bowser’s statement said, referencing a recently-introduced bill that calls for changing the plaza. “The devastating impacts of the federal job cuts must be our number one concern.”
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Details surrounding a date for the plaza’s transformation were not given.
