Well, folks, it looks like President Donald Trump has had enough of the homeless encampments overrunning the nation’s capital, and he’s putting D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on notice: Clean it up, or the federal government will do it for you.
In a bold Truth Social post on Wednesday, Trump called out the deteriorating conditions in Washington, D.C., particularly around the State Department and the White House, where sidewalks and public spaces have been overtaken by homeless camps.
“Washington, D.C. must become CLEAN and SAFE!” Trump wrote. “If she is not capable of doing so, we will be forced to do it for her! We want to be proud of our Great Capital again.”
It’s not an empty threat. Trump has already floated the idea of a federal takeover of the city, arguing that its mismanagement is an international embarrassment whenever foreign dignitaries visit.
Trump has made it clear that he’s had it with the crime, the encampments, and the mismanagement plaguing D.C.
“They’re not doing the job,” Trump said last month. “There’s too much crime, too many tents on the lawns—these magnificent lawns.”
And let’s be honest—he’s not wrong. D.C.’s crime rates have skyrocketed, carjackings have become a daily occurrence, and entire stretches of downtown are littered with tent cities. The nation’s capital is supposed to be a symbol of American strength and prosperity, not a third-world disaster zone.
Despite his blunt criticism, Trump maintains that he has a good personal relationship with Bowser, even meeting with her in December to discuss their shared priorities for the city. Bowser later described it as a “great meeting” and said they both want D.C. to be the most beautiful city in the world.
But clearly, whatever Bowser has been doing isn’t working, and Trump’s patience is wearing thin.
Trump’s statement also comes right as Mayor Bowser is quietly dismantling Black Lives Matter Plaza, the controversial street mural installed near the White House in 2021.
At the time, Bowser touted the mural as a permanent tribute to the BLM movement. But now, without much fanfare, she’s replacing it with student and artist murals as part of the America 250 project, leading up to the country’s 250th anniversary next year.
Translation? Even Bowser sees that D.C. needs to move on from performative activism and focus on real problems—like the out-of-control homelessness and crime.
“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 office said in a statement.
Funny how the “permanent” installation is suddenly not so permanent now that public sentiment has shifted.
