Donald Trump wants to make D.C. a place of “pride” for every American. The latest executive order that the President has signed will set up a task force to keep the capital “safe, beautiful, and prosperous.” Here’s how Trump’s task force aims to achieve the same.
The President signed an executive order on March 27, 2025, that would set up the “D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force.” The aim of the task force will be to make D.C. a city that every American takes “pride” in, according to a White House statement.
A statement from the White House noted how D.C should be a “symbol of pride” and a “safe location for public servants.” The statement went on to point out how the city is neither of those things due to “failed policies.”
Enforcing “quality-of-life laws” will be one of the first agendas on the task forces to achieve. An increased number of law enforcement officers will be assigned to prevent crimes like drug use, vandalism, and public intoxication.
Another initiative the task force will carry out is maximizing immigration enforcement, a topic Trump has been passionate about in the past. The task force will cooperate with D.C.’s federal immigration authorities to deport “dangerous illegal aliens.”
The executive order also details plans to beautify the city of D.C. The task force will look after “restoring and beautifying” public spaces and federal buildings in the capital city. This includes monuments, statues, parks, and roadways. Graffiti that has been painted in public spaces will also be cleaned up.
Eleanor Holmes Norton, who serves as the congressional delegate, criticized the new executive order. Norton pointed out how the order is “insulting” to the 700,000 residents of D.C. who reside in “close proximity to a federal government.”
President Trump’s EO on DC is thoroughly anti-home rule and insulting to 700K DC residents who live in close proximity to a federal government that continues to deny them the same rights given to other Americans.
Statement: https://t.co/y27ujA2GKS pic.twitter.com/HeIChj3htI
— Eleanor #DCStatehood Holmes Norton (@EleanorNorton) March 28, 2025
She also noted how the recent budget cuts that the city is facing are all the more reason to criticize the order. Norton was referring to the resolution that the Congress passed, which sanctioned a $1 billion cut from the city budget.
One thing that immediately stands out in the executive order is Trump’s claim to include “local officials to share information” and work alongside them. Notably, D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser does not appear to be a part of the task force, nor does any other local official.
The Washington Post’s report revealed how Trump’s initial approach was much more aggressive. The initial drafts of the executive order even risked infringing D.C.’s autonomy.
Donald Trump has taken every opportunity to talk about how he and his administration “should take over” D.C. The Trump administration had the opportunity to take the drastic measure thanks to how compliant Mayor Bowser has been.
U.S. President Donald J. Trump has said that it has been communicated to the mayor of Washington D.C., Muriel Bowser, that the homeless problem in the nation’s capital must be dealt with. Especially outside a number of federal buildings, including the U.S. State Department and… pic.twitter.com/GgWshCP5b5
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) March 5, 2025
Prime example of Bowser’s compliance was when she looked to it that the clearing of homeless encampments in the city was carried out swiftly. This followed after the President took to Truth Social to warn the Mayor to deal with the problem or federal officers “will be forced to do it for her.”
The White House gave credit to the mayor for her “commitment” to improve the city in a statement. The statement also revealed that despite Bowser’s efforts, Trump felt it necessary to “executive action on the issue was warranted,” so he went ahead and “did it.”
