Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is calling for a return of “mental institutions” to help combat homelessness and provide those suffering from the scourge to return to a normal life.
Trump’s platform seeks to help those who want help through the implementation of controversial methods largely disbanded decades ago due to rampant corruption and abuse.
But, as with many things, he appears poised to make it a much better and more successful system.
“Our once-great cities have become unlivable, unsanitary nightmares, surrendered to the homeless, the drug addicted, and the violent and dangerously deranged,” he said in a video posted to his campaign website. “We are making many suffer for the whims of a deeply unwell few.”
“For a small fraction of what we spend upon Ukraine, we could take care of every homeless veteran in America,” added Trump. “Our veterans are being treated horribly.”
Agenda47: Ending the Nightmare of the Homeless, Drug Addicts, and Dangerously Deranged on American Streetspic.twitter.com/TxefWejl17
— Team Trump (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TeamTrump) April 18, 2023
Trump Wants To Bring Back Mental Institutions
You’ll note that the video posted to X has a date of April 18th. The campaign site posted the video and transcript of Trump’s comments in August.
His stance has been public for quite some time.
But for some reason, Axios was enamored with the aspects of the speech pertaining to Trump’s calls to bring back “mental institutions” and took the opportunity to suggest that he was misleading his supporters on the topic.
Trump has called for the return of “mental institutions” as part of his plan “to get the homeless off our streets” should he be elected to a second term in office.
Reality check: Most homeless people are not mentally ill.https://t.co/dL3dNxHN2l
— Axios (@axios) October 31, 2023
“For those who are just temporarily down on their luck, we will work to help them quickly reintegrate into a normal life,” Trump states. “For those who have addictions, substance abuse, and common mental health problems, we will get them into treatment.”
“And for those who are severely mentally ill and deeply disturbed, we will bring them back to mental institutions, where they belong, with the goal of reintegrating them back into society once they are well enough to manage,” he continued.
We’re not quite sure of Axios’ intent in highlighting an old speech, but several X users called for a Community Notes fact-check regarding their claim that “most homeless people are not mentally ill.”
According to SMI Adviser (Serious Mental Illness), “An estimated 20–25% of the homeless population in the United States suffers from serious mental health issues.”
Technically not “most.” However, they also note that “as many as 80% of homeless persons tested have marked deficits in cognitive functioning, which would only serve to make mental health issues more severe or impairing.”
In other words, most.
Out of everything this is what you pick to do a reality check on him?
— Ma Dalton (@ma_dalton_) October 31, 2023
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Trump Will Combat Crime By Investing In Law Enforcement
As further evidence that Axios is not and should never be sourced as an unbiased news outlet, they further attack Trump in their column by angling his platform as committing the homeless “against their will.”
Earlier in his speech about combatting homelessness, Trump states explicitly that, “They will be given the option to accept treatment and services if they are willing to be rehabilitated.”
“Many of them don’t want that, but we will give them the option,” he said.
Agenda47: Ending the Nightmare of the Homeless, Drug Addicts, and Dangerously Deranged on American Streetshttps://t.co/t76Xnw2exO pic.twitter.com/D6YoEjs4Fs
— Liz Harrington (@realLizUSA) April 18, 2023
Trump, prior to his stance on bringing back “mental institutions,” announced a seven-point plan to combat rising crime in America’s cities, including calling for a “record” investment in police officers and a return to stop-and-frisk preventative measures.
His plan also calls for DOJ investigations against “radical Marxist prosecutors” who are failing to enforce laws based on race.
You’d think the left would be thrilled. If Trump is elected President, it’s their blue cities that will finally be cleaned up.
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