White House threatens Washington homeless with jail
"Homeless individuals will be given the option to leave their encampment, to be taken to a homeless shelter, to be offered addiction or mental-health services, and if they refuse, they will be susceptible to fines or to jail time," White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters.
Leavitt said the administration was exploring strategies to relocate homeless individuals "far from the capital."
She said US Park Police have removed 70 homeless encampments from federal parks since March and are set to clear the remaining two encampments in the city later this week.
Andy Wassenich, director of policy at Miriam's Kitchen - an organisation offering services to the homeless - said his team was out trying to warn people.
He said there was still a lot of confusion about what the crackdown may bring.
Their best advice, he said, was: "Go to shelter if you can, if you can stand it. If you have anybody you can stay with, get off the street, and seek safety and let us know what we can do for you."
Trump said on social media that he wanted the homeless out of Washington even before he announced the extraordinary step of temporarily taking over the District of Columbia's police department and deploying 800 National Guard troops as part of a crackdown on crime there - an effort that also includes another 500 federal law enforcement agents.
A billionaire real estate developer, Trump described the homeless as one of several groups who have "overtaken" Washington that include "violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youth, drugged-out maniacs."
He likened his intended crackdown to his administration's actions to secure the US border with Mexico.
US communities have long experienced seemingly intractable problems with homelessness, which reached an all-time national high of over 771,000 men, women and children on a single night in 2024, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development's latest homelessness report to Congress.
The HUD report estimated Washington's homeless population at 5616, a 14.1 per cent increase from the year before. That made Washington, a city of just over 700,000 people, the 16th out of the 20 US cities with the largest homeless populations, according to the website USA Facts. The top five cities are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle and Denver.
But the District of Columbia had the highest prevalence of homelessness among US states, with 83 homeless individuals for every 10,000 people, HUD data showed.
with DPA
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Age
15 minutes ago
- The Age
China is playing the long game to win its war with Trump
US President Donald Trump's trade war was meant to rebalance global power in the United States' favour. Instead, China is playing the long game, enduring short-term economic pain to shape any eventual deal to its advantage. The strategy appears to be working — for now. On Monday, Washington granted Beijing another 90-day reprieve, extending a pause on tariffs through November 10. China announced it would do the same. Markets welcomed the move, which offered some relief after months of tension. The delay will give Chinese President Xi Jinping's policymakers more time to plan their next move. Time is Xi's ally. So far, the clearest outcome of each round of talks has been a commitment to meet again. Despite Trump's insistence that China has taken significant steps to improve their trade relationship, Beijing has made no consequential concessions on any of his key concerns. (China has offered some small compromises, none on the scale of American demands.) The extension has come at a delicate time for China's economy, which is plagued by sluggish domestic demand and a slowdown in the property sector. Bloomberg Economics says that it is among the few major nations without a clear timeline or terms for a deal, while others have struck agreements to secure lower tariffs. Even with this reprieve, it notes, Beijing faces average US tariffs of 40 per cent — almost 25 percentage points above the global average. Loading This will hurt prospects for Chinese citizens, who have enjoyed more than three decades of near double-digit growth. The economy expanded by 5.2 per cent in April-June from a year earlier — enviable by global standards — but anxieties among the once-thriving middle class over the future for their children are rising. Youth unemployment remains stubbornly high, with joblessness at 14.5 per cent in June. That figure improved in recent months, but analysts point to significant challenges: More than 12 million university students are set to graduate with hopes of joining the workforce. Still, China is betting that despite these economic costs, it can fight this trade war to the end. Politically, Beijing is preparing the population for a long battle. State media editorials have lauded a Mao-era philosophy as a possible strategy to counter US pressure. They reference the former Chinese leader's 1938 essay ' On Protracted War ', which laid out his approach to combating the invading Japanese between 1937 and 1945. During a series of lectures in May and June 1938, Mao spoke of how the 'contest of strength is not only a contest of military and economic power, but also a contest of human power and morale'. Scholars say the idea was to alert his fellow citizens that the war would be long and gruelling, but could be won through endurance and unity.
Sydney Morning Herald
15 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
China is playing the long game to win its war with Trump
US President Donald Trump's trade war was meant to rebalance global power in the United States' favour. Instead, China is playing the long game, enduring short-term economic pain to shape any eventual deal to its advantage. The strategy appears to be working — for now. On Monday, Washington granted Beijing another 90-day reprieve, extending a pause on tariffs through November 10. China announced it would do the same. Markets welcomed the move, which offered some relief after months of tension. The delay will give Chinese President Xi Jinping's policymakers more time to plan their next move. Time is Xi's ally. So far, the clearest outcome of each round of talks has been a commitment to meet again. Despite Trump's insistence that China has taken significant steps to improve their trade relationship, Beijing has made no consequential concessions on any of his key concerns. (China has offered some small compromises, none on the scale of American demands.) The extension has come at a delicate time for China's economy, which is plagued by sluggish domestic demand and a slowdown in the property sector. Bloomberg Economics says that it is among the few major nations without a clear timeline or terms for a deal, while others have struck agreements to secure lower tariffs. Even with this reprieve, it notes, Beijing faces average US tariffs of 40 per cent — almost 25 percentage points above the global average. Loading This will hurt prospects for Chinese citizens, who have enjoyed more than three decades of near double-digit growth. The economy expanded by 5.2 per cent in April-June from a year earlier — enviable by global standards — but anxieties among the once-thriving middle class over the future for their children are rising. Youth unemployment remains stubbornly high, with joblessness at 14.5 per cent in June. That figure improved in recent months, but analysts point to significant challenges: More than 12 million university students are set to graduate with hopes of joining the workforce. Still, China is betting that despite these economic costs, it can fight this trade war to the end. Politically, Beijing is preparing the population for a long battle. State media editorials have lauded a Mao-era philosophy as a possible strategy to counter US pressure. They reference the former Chinese leader's 1938 essay ' On Protracted War ', which laid out his approach to combating the invading Japanese between 1937 and 1945. During a series of lectures in May and June 1938, Mao spoke of how the 'contest of strength is not only a contest of military and economic power, but also a contest of human power and morale'. Scholars say the idea was to alert his fellow citizens that the war would be long and gruelling, but could be won through endurance and unity.
The Advertiser
41 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Israel blocking Gaza aid against international law: PM
Israel limiting humanitarian aid into Gaza goes against international law and is an "affront to common decency", the prime minister says. Australia is among 29 countries that issued a joint statement overnight calling for urgent action by Israel to allow aid to enter Gaza. "The humanitarian suffering in Gaza has reached unimaginable levels. Famine is unfolding before our eyes," the statement said. "Humanitarian space must be protected and aid should never be politicised." Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Israel's actions in blocking aid to the region was "not defensible". "It's certainly not something that's consistent with international law," he told ABC radio on Wednesday. "We're also seeing people killed while trying to get access to food and water. Now, in 2025 that's completely unacceptable. "It is an affront to common decency and community humanity what is happening in Gaza." Israel has denied responsibility for the lack of food in the Gaza Strip, accusing Hamas of stealing aid shipments. It has also denied there is starvation among the population, although it has throttled the flow of food to Gaza for months, according to international human rights groups. The prime minister's latest comments come two days after he announced Australia would recognise Palestinian statehood at September's UN General Assembly, joining the UK, France and Canada in the move. The shift means Australia's foreign policy has diverged from that of the US, a key ally that has for decades opposed formal recognition of Palestine. However, the White House has declined to directly criticise Australia for its actions in recognising Palestine after US President Donald Trump suggested a similar move from Canada could affect trade talks. A spokesman told Nine newspapers the president had an open mind on the status of Palestine, despite not backing statehood. Mr Albanese said the US would have a critical role to play in peace talks. "One of the things that has defined president Trump's position internationally on global affairs is that he is an advocate for peace and he's been an advocate for peace in the Middle East for a long period of time," he said. While some have argued Australia's decision to break from the US could imperil the bilateral relationship, Flinders University international relations expert Jessica Genauer said the government's diplomatic calculus had helped dampen any impact. "Because Australia waited until other important countries all said they're planning to recognise Palestine ... I don't think it will be singled out by the US," Dr Genauer told AAP. "The Trump administration is opposed to countries recognising Palestine, but I think that they would put Australia in with a whole group of other countries and it wouldn't particularly be detrimental to Australia's relationship." Australia will join more than 140 UN member states in recognising Palestine, but Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said the prime minister's priorities were wrong. "He's clearly distracted by what he's been talking about now for weeks with respect to Palestinian recognition, that is actually not going to make the world a safer place," she told Seven's Sunrise program. The coalition has pledged to reverse the recognition decision should it win the next election. Crossbench senator Fatima Payman, who defected from Labor in 2024 after criticising the government's stance on the Middle East, said recognising statehood was overdue but could not be an end point. "Symbolism matters, but saving lives matters more so when we're thinking about what Australia needs to do next, it's to make sure that they keep that pressure on Israel," she told ABC radio. Israel limiting humanitarian aid into Gaza goes against international law and is an "affront to common decency", the prime minister says. Australia is among 29 countries that issued a joint statement overnight calling for urgent action by Israel to allow aid to enter Gaza. "The humanitarian suffering in Gaza has reached unimaginable levels. Famine is unfolding before our eyes," the statement said. "Humanitarian space must be protected and aid should never be politicised." Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Israel's actions in blocking aid to the region was "not defensible". "It's certainly not something that's consistent with international law," he told ABC radio on Wednesday. "We're also seeing people killed while trying to get access to food and water. Now, in 2025 that's completely unacceptable. "It is an affront to common decency and community humanity what is happening in Gaza." Israel has denied responsibility for the lack of food in the Gaza Strip, accusing Hamas of stealing aid shipments. It has also denied there is starvation among the population, although it has throttled the flow of food to Gaza for months, according to international human rights groups. The prime minister's latest comments come two days after he announced Australia would recognise Palestinian statehood at September's UN General Assembly, joining the UK, France and Canada in the move. The shift means Australia's foreign policy has diverged from that of the US, a key ally that has for decades opposed formal recognition of Palestine. However, the White House has declined to directly criticise Australia for its actions in recognising Palestine after US President Donald Trump suggested a similar move from Canada could affect trade talks. A spokesman told Nine newspapers the president had an open mind on the status of Palestine, despite not backing statehood. Mr Albanese said the US would have a critical role to play in peace talks. "One of the things that has defined president Trump's position internationally on global affairs is that he is an advocate for peace and he's been an advocate for peace in the Middle East for a long period of time," he said. While some have argued Australia's decision to break from the US could imperil the bilateral relationship, Flinders University international relations expert Jessica Genauer said the government's diplomatic calculus had helped dampen any impact. "Because Australia waited until other important countries all said they're planning to recognise Palestine ... I don't think it will be singled out by the US," Dr Genauer told AAP. "The Trump administration is opposed to countries recognising Palestine, but I think that they would put Australia in with a whole group of other countries and it wouldn't particularly be detrimental to Australia's relationship." Australia will join more than 140 UN member states in recognising Palestine, but Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said the prime minister's priorities were wrong. "He's clearly distracted by what he's been talking about now for weeks with respect to Palestinian recognition, that is actually not going to make the world a safer place," she told Seven's Sunrise program. The coalition has pledged to reverse the recognition decision should it win the next election. Crossbench senator Fatima Payman, who defected from Labor in 2024 after criticising the government's stance on the Middle East, said recognising statehood was overdue but could not be an end point. "Symbolism matters, but saving lives matters more so when we're thinking about what Australia needs to do next, it's to make sure that they keep that pressure on Israel," she told ABC radio. Israel limiting humanitarian aid into Gaza goes against international law and is an "affront to common decency", the prime minister says. Australia is among 29 countries that issued a joint statement overnight calling for urgent action by Israel to allow aid to enter Gaza. "The humanitarian suffering in Gaza has reached unimaginable levels. Famine is unfolding before our eyes," the statement said. "Humanitarian space must be protected and aid should never be politicised." Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Israel's actions in blocking aid to the region was "not defensible". "It's certainly not something that's consistent with international law," he told ABC radio on Wednesday. "We're also seeing people killed while trying to get access to food and water. Now, in 2025 that's completely unacceptable. "It is an affront to common decency and community humanity what is happening in Gaza." Israel has denied responsibility for the lack of food in the Gaza Strip, accusing Hamas of stealing aid shipments. It has also denied there is starvation among the population, although it has throttled the flow of food to Gaza for months, according to international human rights groups. The prime minister's latest comments come two days after he announced Australia would recognise Palestinian statehood at September's UN General Assembly, joining the UK, France and Canada in the move. The shift means Australia's foreign policy has diverged from that of the US, a key ally that has for decades opposed formal recognition of Palestine. However, the White House has declined to directly criticise Australia for its actions in recognising Palestine after US President Donald Trump suggested a similar move from Canada could affect trade talks. A spokesman told Nine newspapers the president had an open mind on the status of Palestine, despite not backing statehood. Mr Albanese said the US would have a critical role to play in peace talks. "One of the things that has defined president Trump's position internationally on global affairs is that he is an advocate for peace and he's been an advocate for peace in the Middle East for a long period of time," he said. While some have argued Australia's decision to break from the US could imperil the bilateral relationship, Flinders University international relations expert Jessica Genauer said the government's diplomatic calculus had helped dampen any impact. "Because Australia waited until other important countries all said they're planning to recognise Palestine ... I don't think it will be singled out by the US," Dr Genauer told AAP. "The Trump administration is opposed to countries recognising Palestine, but I think that they would put Australia in with a whole group of other countries and it wouldn't particularly be detrimental to Australia's relationship." Australia will join more than 140 UN member states in recognising Palestine, but Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said the prime minister's priorities were wrong. "He's clearly distracted by what he's been talking about now for weeks with respect to Palestinian recognition, that is actually not going to make the world a safer place," she told Seven's Sunrise program. The coalition has pledged to reverse the recognition decision should it win the next election. Crossbench senator Fatima Payman, who defected from Labor in 2024 after criticising the government's stance on the Middle East, said recognising statehood was overdue but could not be an end point. "Symbolism matters, but saving lives matters more so when we're thinking about what Australia needs to do next, it's to make sure that they keep that pressure on Israel," she told ABC radio. Israel limiting humanitarian aid into Gaza goes against international law and is an "affront to common decency", the prime minister says. Australia is among 29 countries that issued a joint statement overnight calling for urgent action by Israel to allow aid to enter Gaza. "The humanitarian suffering in Gaza has reached unimaginable levels. Famine is unfolding before our eyes," the statement said. "Humanitarian space must be protected and aid should never be politicised." Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Israel's actions in blocking aid to the region was "not defensible". "It's certainly not something that's consistent with international law," he told ABC radio on Wednesday. "We're also seeing people killed while trying to get access to food and water. Now, in 2025 that's completely unacceptable. "It is an affront to common decency and community humanity what is happening in Gaza." Israel has denied responsibility for the lack of food in the Gaza Strip, accusing Hamas of stealing aid shipments. It has also denied there is starvation among the population, although it has throttled the flow of food to Gaza for months, according to international human rights groups. The prime minister's latest comments come two days after he announced Australia would recognise Palestinian statehood at September's UN General Assembly, joining the UK, France and Canada in the move. The shift means Australia's foreign policy has diverged from that of the US, a key ally that has for decades opposed formal recognition of Palestine. However, the White House has declined to directly criticise Australia for its actions in recognising Palestine after US President Donald Trump suggested a similar move from Canada could affect trade talks. A spokesman told Nine newspapers the president had an open mind on the status of Palestine, despite not backing statehood. Mr Albanese said the US would have a critical role to play in peace talks. "One of the things that has defined president Trump's position internationally on global affairs is that he is an advocate for peace and he's been an advocate for peace in the Middle East for a long period of time," he said. While some have argued Australia's decision to break from the US could imperil the bilateral relationship, Flinders University international relations expert Jessica Genauer said the government's diplomatic calculus had helped dampen any impact. "Because Australia waited until other important countries all said they're planning to recognise Palestine ... I don't think it will be singled out by the US," Dr Genauer told AAP. "The Trump administration is opposed to countries recognising Palestine, but I think that they would put Australia in with a whole group of other countries and it wouldn't particularly be detrimental to Australia's relationship." Australia will join more than 140 UN member states in recognising Palestine, but Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said the prime minister's priorities were wrong. "He's clearly distracted by what he's been talking about now for weeks with respect to Palestinian recognition, that is actually not going to make the world a safer place," she told Seven's Sunrise program. The coalition has pledged to reverse the recognition decision should it win the next election. Crossbench senator Fatima Payman, who defected from Labor in 2024 after criticising the government's stance on the Middle East, said recognising statehood was overdue but could not be an end point. "Symbolism matters, but saving lives matters more so when we're thinking about what Australia needs to do next, it's to make sure that they keep that pressure on Israel," she told ABC radio.
