Weeks after signing an executive order promising 'centres' to house homeless people in America, President Trump has issued these vulnerable individuals with an alarming threat.
Taking to Truth Social last night (10 Aug), the Republican leader announced plans for a 'News Conference in the White House' the following day, where he'd lift the lid on his controversial new plan.
"I’m going to make our Capital safer and more beautiful than it ever was before," Trump penned. "The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY. We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital."
The politician went on to warn these individuals on the threat of prosecution, adding: "The Criminals, you don’t have to move out.
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"We’re going to put you in jail where you belong. It’s all going to happen very fast, just like the Border."
Trump continued: "We went from millions pouring in, to ZERO in the last few months. This will be easier — Be prepared!
"There will be no 'MR. NICE GUY.' We want our Capital BACK.
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"Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
Unsurprisingly, Trump's threat has triggered alarm bells in some left-leaning voters, who have slammed the politician's words as inhumane.
"Trump demands homeless 'move out' with no support, no options besides 'take them far away'," one critic wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
"No budget to help because all the budgets slashed to give tax breaks to the wealthy. How gross a human."
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Another added: "Donald Trump just ordered every homeless person to leave Washington DC - go be homeless somewhere else, just not in front of his shiny golden office or the new ballroom he is building."
"What the actual f**k? Seriously?" another hit out in response to the news.
Trump's warning comes just weeks after he called upon both state and city representatives across the States to end what he described as 'endemic vagrancy' when it comes to homelessness.
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Despite the official documentation (titled 'Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets') pledging to house these individuals - including those reliant on drugs and alcohol, or with poor mental health - in 'treatment centres', this plan was also accused of attacking homeless people.
Critics slammed Trump and his administration for seeming to allow law enforcement agents to both displace and institutionalise these people with very minimal guardrails.
Jesse Rabinowitz (campaign and communications director at the National Homelessness Law Center) told The Guardian of the President's previous executive order: "It’s one of the most harmful things to happen to folks who live outside in decades."
She continued: "It is not going to help anybody.
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"It sets the stage for rounding up folks who are homeless, folks with mental health issues, folks who are disabled - and instead of helping them, forcing them into detention camps and institutions. So it’s terrifying."
Neither Trump's July policy nor his latest threat mark the first time that the right-wing leader has complained about homelessness in the US - specifically when it comes to his resident state.
During his first term in the White House (2017-2021), the father-of-five repeatedly suggested the national reopening of insane asylums to house dangerous individuals on the streets of DC.
His executive order fails to reference these controversial facilities specifically, nor address whether he aims to work in parallel with long shut-down institutions as a new public safety strategy.
That said, however, the order does identify 'assisted outpatient treatment', however, as well as 'institutional treatment'.
Topics: Donald Trump, News, Politics, US News
Rhianna Benson