An FBI spokesperson in Washington said on Monday that its agents would be part of an enhanced federal law enforcement presence in the capital, after US President Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric on crime and homelessness, calling for homeless people to leave the city immediately, Axios reported. The announcement came after US media published images of FBI agents patrolling parts of the District of Columbia on Sunday evening. Separately, two US officials told Reuters on Sunday that the US military is preparing to deploy hundreds of National Guard troops in Washington. On Sunday, Trump vowed to clear Washington of homeless people and jail criminals, despite the city's mayor, Muriel Bowser, asserting that there is currently no increase in crime rates. "The homeless must leave immediately," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform. "We will provide you with places to stay, but far from the capital. As for the criminals, you don't have to leave; we will put you in jail where you should be." Trump also posted images of tents and streets in the capital with some litter on them. The White House declined to clarify the legal basis Trump would use to remove homeless people from Washington. The Republican president only has direct control over federal land and buildings within the city. Trump threatens takeover Trump's statements that crime in the capital is "completely out of control" have reinforced his renewed threats of a federal takeover of the city and his orders to bolster federal law enforcement. Although crime rates in Washington have recently decreased, arrests for non-violent crimes have risen under Trump's "Safe and Beautiful DC" executive order, which established a task force aimed at eliminating crime and facilitating a "stronger presence" of federal law enforcement, according to Axios. Trump has pledged to make the US capital "safer and more beautiful" than ever before. "We will provide the homeless with places to stay, but they will be far from the capital," the president said, adding that "criminals will be imprisoned, and everything will happen very quickly." Last month, Trump signed an executive order that makes it easier for cities to clear homeless encampments and directs that people be placed in "long-term" treatment facilities with the aim of "restoring public order." Human rights groups have criticised the order, saying it "encourages the use of forced civil commitment," a process of placing people with mental health issues in treatment facilities without their consent. White House defends action White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement on Sunday that Trump's actions had "removed illegal weapons and drugs from the streets of Washington DC in just a few nights." "This does not take into account the many potential crimes that were deterred thanks to the heavy and visible presence of law enforcement officers," she said. "The Trump administration will continue to take necessary action to make Washington, DC, clean and safe." When asked to comment on reports that 120 FBI agents would be involved, Jackson said, "There is an increase in the number of federal law enforcement officers in Washington, DC in response to violent crime, which has included the FBI." White House representatives did not immediately answer a subsequent question from Axios about the exact number of FBI agents involved, and the Bureau declined to comment on the matter. Federal control of the capital A full federal takeover of Washington would require Congress to revoke the city's home rule system, which allows residents to elect their own mayor and council members. Under the current arrangement, Congress retains oversight authority over the city's laws, and the president can temporarily assume command of the city's police force if he "deems that special emergency conditions exist". Even without removing home rule, Trump could exert pressure on the city by deploying the DC National Guard, which is under his command, or by temporarily taking control of the city's police. Appearing on MSNBC's "The Weekend" on Sunday, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser emphasised that violent crime in the city had fallen for the second consecutive year. "We are not seeing a spike in crime," she said, adding that "any comparison to a war-torn country is exaggerated and wrong." The latest escalation began last week after a former Justice Department employee was reportedly injured in a carjacking attempt. The president then floated the idea of imposing federal control if the mayor "did not manage the capital better" and ordered a seven-day operation to enhance federal law enforcement, focusing on high-traffic tourist areas and other hotspots, according to multiple media outlets. Trump's DC conference On Sunday, Trump announced he would hold a press conference at 10 a.m. Eastern Time on Monday at the White House to unveil a "comprehensive plan" to restore security, cleanliness, and renewal in Washington. He said the conference would address "not only crime and murder" but also "cleanliness and general physical renewal". The two US officials who spoke to Reuters on Sunday said that while the National Guard troops are ready to move as soon as the order is given, a final decision awaits the president's approval. One official added that the troops' duties could include protecting federal agents or performing administrative tasks to free up law enforcement for field duties.
