A homeless advocate is calling President Donald Trump's plan to tackle homelessness in the nation's capital 'fascist' and a 'waste' or resources.

Trump said Monday he’s placing the Washington, D.C., police department under federal control and deploying the National Guard to make the nation’s capital 'safer.'

Trump has promised new steps to tackle homelessness and crime in Washington,

"I want folks to know that this is not about safety. DC is already the most policed city in the country," said Jesse Rabinowitz, the Campaign & Communication Director for the National Homelessness Law Center.

"It is about power, and it is about fascism and authoritarianism," Rabinowitz told the AP. "If Donald Trump wanted to keep DC safe, he would fund housing and support. Instead. The Republicans just gutted health care, and they're passing through a budget that will make homelessness worse. They do not care about helping people."

For Trump, the effort to take over public safety in Washington reflects an escalation of his aggressive approach to law enforcement. The District of Columbia’s status as a congressionally established federal district gives him a unique opportunity to push his tough-on-crime agenda, though he has not proposed solutions to the root causes of homelessness or crime.

"We know that 60% of households struggle to make ends meet. Half of renters pay more than they can afford each month, and 1 in 4 people imminently worry about becoming homeless," Rabinowitz added. "The lack of affordable housing is not only the primary cause of homelessness, it's the leading pain point on most people's wallets."

Trump has emphasized the removal of Washington’s homeless population, though it was unclear where the thousands of people would go, and he did not give details at his news conference Monday.

“The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump wrote Sunday in a social media post. “We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital. The Criminals, you don’t have to move out. We’re going to put you in jail where you belong.”

Rabinowitz is urging leaders in Washington D.C. to step in and help their homeless neighbors, including mayor Muriel Bowser, who voiced concerns about the potential use of the National Guard to patrol the streets.

"We need to get folks out of harm's way. That means getting them inside the places where they want to go, like hotels or safe or decent housing," Rabinowitz said.