President Donald Trump has pledged to evict homeless people from Washington, D.C., and jail offenders, with a U.S. official saying the administration is preparing to deploy National Guard troops to the capital.
Trump made the remarks on Sunday, saying people experiencing homelessness would be relocated “far from the Capital” and criminals jailed. The White House has not clarified the legal basis for removing individuals, as the president directly controls only federal property in the city.
A U.S. official told Reuters that hundreds of Guard troops could be sent to Washington, though the number and their role are undecided. Unlike in U.S. states, where governors control the National Guard, the president has sole authority in the capital. Previous deployments have included the response to the 6 January, 2021 Capitol riot.
The city’s Democratic mayor, Muriel Bowser, rejected Trump’s claims of a crime wave, citing police data showing violent crime fell 26% in the first seven months of 2025 compared with the same period last year. She said Washington was at a “30-year low” for violent offences following a sharp rise in 2023.
Trump’s push follows the violent assault of a young White House staffer last week. A White House official said 450 federal law enforcement officers were deployed across Washington on Saturday, investigating alleged offences from unlicensed gun possession to illegal dirt bike riding.
The Community Partnership, a local non-profit, estimates 3,782 single people experience homelessness on any given night in the city of 700,000, with most in shelters or transitional housing.
For a full federal takeover of Washington’s government, legal experts say Congress would likely need to revoke the 1973 law granting the district an elected mayor and council.
Trump is due to hold a press conference on Monday morning on what he called a plan to “stop violent crime in Washington, D.C.”
The Middle East crisis intensifies after the deadly attack on Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's compound on Saturday that kill...
The U.S.-Iran crisis has entered its third day, with further strikes reported across the Middle East and the death toll rising. Oil prices have sur...
Israel carried out heavy airstrikes on the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut on Monday (2 March), af...
Türkiye and Iran have suspended day-trip passenger crossings at their shared border, Türkiye's trade minister said Monday, as a ...
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has held talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov following recent mil...
The Middle East crisis intensifies after the deadly attack on Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's compound on Saturday that killed him, other family members and senior figures. Iran has launched retaliatory strikes on U.S. targets in the region.
The U.S.-Iran crisis has entered its third day, with further strikes reported across the Middle East and the death toll rising. Oil prices have surged to levels last seen during the Covid-19 pandemic, raising fears of economic disruption and higher prices worldwide.
Türkiye and Iran have suspended day-trip passenger crossings at their shared border, Türkiye's trade minister said Monday, as a U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran entered its third day.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has held talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov following recent military strikes carried out by the United States and Israel on targets in Iran, as tensions in the Middle East continue to rise.
Follow the latest developments and global reaction after the U.S. and Israel launched “major combat operations” in Iran, prompting retaliation from Tehran.
Saudi Arabia’s state oil giant Saudi Aramco closed its Ras Tanura refinery on Monday following an Iranian drone strike, an industry source told Reuters as Tehran retaliated across the Gulf after a U.S.-Israeli attack on Iranian targets over the weekend.
The Kremlin is utilising the recent United States and Israeli military strikes on Iran to validate its ongoing war in Ukraine. Russian officials are pointing to the escalation in the Middle East as evidence that Western nations do not adhere to international rules.
The Middle East crisis intensifies after the deadly attack on Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's compound on Saturday that killed him, other family members and senior figures. Iran has launched retaliatory strikes on U.S. targets in the region.
Ayatollah Alireza Arafi has moved into a pivotal constitutional role following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, becoming the clerical member of Iran’s temporary leadership council under Article 111 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The U.S.-Iran crisis has entered its third day, with further strikes reported across the Middle East and the death toll rising. Oil prices have surged to levels last seen during the Covid-19 pandemic, raising fears of economic disruption and higher prices worldwide.
The UK said it's allowing the U.S. to use its bases for defensive strikes against Iran amid escalating missile attacks, after a suspected drone strike hit a British airbase in southern Cyprus, causing limited damage.
The Kremlin is utilising the recent United States and Israeli military strikes on Iran to validate its ongoing war in Ukraine. Russian officials are pointing to the escalation in the Middle East as evidence that Western nations do not adhere to international rules.
European Union stands with its member states in the face of any threat, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in response to the drone strike that hit Britain's Royal Air Force base of Akrotiri in southern Cyprus overnight.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 27th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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