President Donald J. Trump is expected to soon sign an executive order directing prosecutors in Washington, D.C. to seek federal charges against individuals arrested on gun offenses and ordering the removal of the city’s numerous homeless encampments. The order follows a pledge by Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign to restore the U.S. capital as a first-class American city after it desceneded into a “nightmare of murder and crime” under former President Joe Biden.
In addition to addressing gun crime and the city’s rampant homeless crisis, Trump’s executive order is expected to direct more stringent enforcement against so-called quality of life crimes, which include criminal acts such as public intoxication, open-air illegal drug sales, vandalism, grafitti, and public urination. While the exact language of the executive order is not yet finalized, it is expected that Trump will issue the directive later this week.
Under Trump’s order, felons caught in possession of a gun—or guns—in Washington, D.C. can be held without bail. Additionally, the order clears the way for prosecutors to seek federal penalities for these individuals if convicted.
Over the last four years, under former President Biden, Washington, D.C. has seen an explosion in gun related crime. Last February, former Trump administration staffer Mike Gill was shot during a carjacking spree in the capital city. Gill later died of his wounds.
The explosion in Washington, D.C.’s homeless population will also be addressed in President Trump’s executive order. Over the past two years, the capital has seen an increasing number of homeless encampments across the city—with most being established in green areas near major roadways, public parks, and around Union Station. It expected the directive’s language will help clear restrictions on the city’s ability to clear and remove the encampments.
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