Trump orders DC mayor to clear homeless encampments

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump has issued an order demanding that D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser clear out homeless encampments in the city. This directive is part of a broader plan to improve conditions in the District.

Trump orders DC mayor to clear homeless encampments

What we know:

In a recent post on his social media platform, Trump specifically targeted homeless camps near the State Department and the White House, stating that if Mayor Bowser does not clean them up, "we will be forced to do it for her!"

Earlier this year, Trump had threatened an executive order focused on beautification issues, including clearing homeless camps, tougher prosecutions for gun crimes, and nuisance crimes like public urination and graffiti. 

READ MORE: President Trump expected to sign executive order on public safety in nation's capital

Beautification order paused after talks with Mayor Bowser

What's next:

However, after talks with Mayor Bowser, the administration has reportedly backed off from signing that order.

The city already has a partnership with the National Park Service to clean up or close homeless encampments on federal property, acting on several dozen encampments in the last two years. The city has seven camp cleanups scheduled for this month.

President Trump FULL Truth Social post:

"We have notified the Mayor of Washington, D.C., that she must clean up all of the unsightly homeless encampments in the City, specifically including the ones outside of the State Department, and near the White House. If she is not capable of doing so, we will be forced to do it for her! Washington, D.C. must become CLEAN and SAFE! 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!"

Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services statement

"The safest place for people is in a shelter or permanent housing. DC’s case management teams continue to engage individuals and families experiencing homelessness and work to match them to housing resources and wrap-around services such as behavioral health services and case management. Our primary focus is always working to move people experiencing homelessness into safer shelters or housing."

Over the past two years, we have cut the number of tents in half while opening new shelters, expanding housing vouchers, and continuing our work to make homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring."

The DMHHS Encampment Response Team says it conducts regular outreach to encampments across the city in conjunction with the Department of Human Services (DHS) and their community-based contractors, Miriam's Kitchen, Pathways to Housing and Community Connections. Additionally, the Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) conducts wellness checks on individuals and are present at encampment engagements for any behavioral health needs.