US President Donald Trump on Wednesday directed Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser to address the issue of “unsightly” homelessness in the nation’s capital, including the ones outside the state department and the White House.
In his post on social media, Trump threatened the Mayor saying that if she cannot handle the situation, his administration would take direct action.
“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!” he said in a post on Truth Social.
The President doubting Mayor Bowser’s capability reflect their strained relationship which became like this following the 2020 George Floyd protests in Washington.
On Tuesday Bowser suggested that Washington could possibly paint over the Black Lives Matter Plaza close to the White House.
“The mural inspired millions of people and helped our city through a very painful period, but now we can’t afford to be distracted by meaningless congressional interference,” Bowser said on X.
The mayor’s response followed Rep. Andrew Clyde’s (R-Ga.) proposal to withhold funding from Washington unless the plaza is renamed to “Liberty Plaza.”
In March, Trump expressed his views about federal control over the capital city.
“I think that we should govern the District of Columbia,” Trump said to reporters at the time. “I think that we should run it strong, run it with law and order, make it absolutely flawless.”