Trump's Remarks on Homeless Make Cities an Ideological Battlefield

President Donald Trump has low opinions on the state of a few very specific cities.

2 minute read

July 4, 2019, 11:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


California Homeless

welcomia / Shutterstock

"President Trump said Monday that he wanted to address the crisis of people on the streets, telling Fox News in an interview that his administration 'may intercede' to clean up cities such as Washington, San Francisco and Los Angeles," report Eli Rosenberg and Alex Horton.

"The president made the remarks in an interview he taped in Japan with Fox News host Tucker Carlson, after Carlson asked him about cities in Japan, which Carlson said are clean and free from graffiti and junkies.' U.S. cities, by comparison, have a problem with 'filth,' Carlson noted."

The rest of the interview raised a lot of eyebrows, and made some columnists question the extent of Trump's awareness about urban policies or the state of American cities, beyond scoring political points against the Liberal leadership of cities without much concern for the people, by his own description, suffering the ills of drug addiction, mental illness, or homelessness.

Michael D. Shear, for instance, described President Trump's remarks as "puzzling," especially the part where the president said the problem started two years ago. Not only does Shear say that President Trump is wrong in his description on the history of homelessness, he's also willing to point out the Trump administration's less-than-action-packed record on the issue. "As president, Mr. Trump has given little indication that homelessness in America is a priority for his administration," writes Shear. President Trump says in the administration "may intercede and do something to get that whole thing cleaned up," but, as noted by Shear, "he did not elaborate on what actions he or the government might take," and "Officials at the White House and the Department of Housing and Urban Development declined to comment on what the president was talking about."

Tuesday, July 2, 2019 in The Washington Post

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Millbrae BART station.

HSR Reaches Key Settlement in Northern California City

The state’s high-speed rail authority reached an agreement with Millbrae, a key city on the train’s proposed route to San Francisco.

April 24 - San Diego Post

Spiral ramp on exterior of parking garage in downtown Spokane, Washington.

Washington State Legislature Passes Parking Reform Bill

A bill that would limit parking requirements for new developments is headed to the governor’s desk.

April 24 - OPB

Missouri state capitol dome in Jefferson City, MO.

Missouri Law Would Ban Protections for Housing Voucher Users

A state law seeks to overturn source-of-income discrimination bans passed by several Missouri cities.

April 24 - Missouri Independent