Back when she was still publicly accessible, Ivanka Trump used to tell a story about her father’s reaction to seeing a homeless man sitting in front of Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue in New York during the 1990s:

“I remember my father pointing to him and saying, ‘You know, that guy has US$8 billion more than me,’ because he was in such extreme debt at that point.”

Some like to use that anecdote to illustrate just how bad a deal maker and businessman Trump was before he became president of the United States but surely that is redundant. For me, it is more telling to see how that same relentless self-absorption and complete lack of empathy or compassion allows the now President Trump, seemingly on a whim, to order the removal of all homeless people from Washington, D.C. in an effort to “beautify” the city.

The operation was carried out mid-August with a callous disregard for the well-being of the city’s estimated 900 rough sleepers, many of whom had lived there quietly for decades without causing a nuisance or posing a threat to anyone.

The New York Times talked to David Brown, who had lived for 15 years in a small encampment on Washington Circle, and saw his home destroyed when police threw his tent, clothing and other possessions into a dumpster.

“Why is he doing this, for no reason?” Mr Brown asked after moving with his canine friend and what was left of his possessions about block away to the entrance of the Foggy Bottom subway station.

The White House has claimed that provision will be made for those forcibly removed but advocates for the homeless in Washington, D.C. say that, so far, no federal aid has been forthcoming. Those non-profits that do provide help have described the impact of the removals as “frantic and traumatic,” creating a crisis unseen for more than a decade.

So why is Trump doing this? Clearly, he has no interest in helping the most vulnerable members of society find a better life, he just doesn’t want to look at them when his motorcade passes through the city streets en route to his golf course. Or perhaps, he still holds a grudge against that “wealthy” homeless guy sitting outside Trump Tower all those years ago.

While Trump’s comic-book-villain attitude to the homeless is extreme, I wonder, from a moral standpoint, is it really any worse than politicians like Britain’s Sir Kier Starmer, who made a pledge in the Big Issue Christmas special “to make sure no one faces homelessness.” He then largely ignored the problem until his own “homelessness minister” was forced to resign after it was revealed she had evicted four tenants from a property she owned in London and then relisted it with the rent increased from £3,300 per month to £4,000 per month.

The government claims it is committed to increasing the supply of social and affordable housing, and is investing impressive sounding numbers to tackle rough sleeping. But its main priority is boosting economic growth and cutting government spending. As Starmer himself said in July 2023:

Frankly, the left has to start caring a lot more about growth, about creating wealth, attracting inward investment and kick-starting a spirit of enterprise… It is the only show in town for those who dream of a brighter future.

It is difficult see how this approach will help tackle the complex root causes of homelessness. Indeed, the government’s increase in National Insurance payments for employers last year has already put a huge strain on many charities and non-profit organizations working with the disadvantaged.

The centre for the homeless that I volunteer at in Canterbury is just about managing to get by. Every day, two to three dozen people show up for a hot meal and to use the laundry or showers. There are always new faces and some regulars who for whatever reason cannot find a stable home. If numbers increase, it will be a real struggle to cope.

Looking back, I have seen very little improvement in the homeless situation in England since I volunteered at Crisis at Christmas in London more than 40 years ago, about the same time that Margaret Thatcher’s 1980 Housing Act gave council house tenants the right to buy, thereby decimating the country’s social housing stock.

The only country that I am aware of that has really made an effort to end homelessness is Iceland. Following the global economic crisis of 2008 that hit Iceland particularly hard, the government ensured that the capital Reykjavik has three emergency shelters across the city that are open every day from 5.00.pm to 10.00.am because you do not want to be sleeping rough in Iceland any day of the year. The city also provides low cost housing and a wide range of mental health and drug addiction services for people struggling to get their lives together.

For most western democratic governments however, the approach to homelessness and rough sleeping in particular is merely a diluted version of Trump’s “move them out and move them on.”

Strong wind destroy our home

Many dead, tonight it could be you

Strong wind, strong wind

Many dead, tonight it could be you

 

*  © 1986 Words and Music by Paul Simon and Joseph Shabalala.