2 weeks ago
Last Updated:August 11, 2025, 07:54 IST
The authorities said President Donald Trump had yet to give final approval, but the troops were ready to be sent if ordered
US President Donald Trump | Reuters Image
US President Donald Trump is reportedly planning to activate several hundred Guard troops for deployment to Washington, D.C., officials said on Sunday.
The authorities said President Donald Trump had yet to give final approval, but the troops were ready to be sent if ordered, reported Reuters, citing government officials.
One official noted that the precise role of the Guard members had not been determined, but they could be tasked with safeguarding federal personnel or handling administrative duties to allow law enforcement officers to focus on other operations.
Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser acknowledged that President Trump has the authority to deploy the DC Guard, which falls under his control.
“I’m concerned about them not being used efficiently," Bowser said, pointing to the decline in violent crime. “And I just think that’s not the most efficient use of our guard," she added during an interview aired Sunday on MSNBC’s The Weekend.
‘Homeless Must Move Out’
Trump on Sunday called for homeless residents of Washington DC to “move out immediately," vowing to relocate them far from the nation’s capital and once again promising to deploy federal officers to jail criminals.
“The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY," Trump wrote on his Truth Social account, adding, “We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital."
His post came shortly after travelling from the White House to his Virginia golf club and included four photographs, apparently taken from his motorcade, showing tents, a sleeping individual on building steps, and litter along city roadways.
Trump also promoted a news conference scheduled for Monday, which he claimed “will, essentially, stop violent crime" in the District.
In a follow-up post, he said the briefing would “not only involve ending the Crime, Murder, and Death in our Nation’s Capital, but will also be about Cleanliness." The advocacy group Free DC quickly announced a protest to coincide with his event.
City officials disputed Trump’s assertions, noting there is no surge in violent crime or homelessness.
Data from the Metropolitan Police Department shows violent crime dropped 35 per cent in 2024 compared to the previous year, reaching the lowest level in more than three decades, with an additional 26 per cent decline so far in 2025.
“We are not experiencing a crime spike," said DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, crediting sustained efforts to reduce violence.
According to The Community Partnership, about 800 people sleep outdoors on a typical night in DC, with thousands more in shelters or transitional housing.
Trump’s recent order to increase federal patrols followed an assault case involving a federal worker, though police arrested the suspects—both 15 years old—at the scene.
The White House has not clarified what legal authority Trump would use to evict people from the city, as the president’s jurisdiction is limited to federal land and properties in Washington DC.
view commentsLocation :United States of America (USA)
First Published:August 11, 2025, 07:54 IST
News world Trump Eyes Guard Deployment In Washington Amid Pledge To Remove Homeless: Report
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