Back in early spring, Trump’s efforts upended the U.S. Institute of Peace, among other institutions and departments. On Thursday, authorities brought in an earth mover to clear out an encampment within sight of that hollowed-out institute’s handsome Constitution Avenue headquarters.

Those steps would go against evidence that anti-homeless laws and actions can exacerbate the problem, according to an Aug. 6 report by Mari Castaldi, director of state housing policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities,