President Donald Trump told D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to clear out the city's homeless encampments. If she doesn’t, he warned, the federal government "will be forced to do it for her."
In a Truth Social post, Trump pointed to areas near the White House and State Department. He said the nation's capital "must become CLEAN and SAFE!" The city, he argued, needs a major overhaul.
"If she is not capable of doing so, we will be forced to do it for her!" he wrote. He called on Bowser to restore pride in the city. "Hopefully you will be successful!" he added.
Trump has long suggested the federal government should step in if D.C. leadership fails. He insists foreign leaders shouldn't visit a capital overrun with crime and homeless camps.
"They're not doing the job," he said last month. He called the city unsafe, pointing to crime and tents "on the lawns – these magnificent lawns."
Despite his critiques, Trump says he likes Bowser personally. The two met in December to discuss their shared vision for D.C. Bowser called it a "great meeting."
"President Trump and I both want Washington, DC to be the best, most beautiful city in the world," she said. She added that the capital should reflect America's strength.
Trump’s post came one day after Bowser announced a change to Black Lives Matter Plaza. The site, originally meant to be permanent, will be replaced with student and artist murals.
Bowser defended the decision. "The mural inspired millions," she said. But now, she argued, D.C. must focus on bigger concerns, like federal job cuts.
No timeline was given for the plaza’s transformation.