WATCH LIVE: Trump to highlight violent crime reduction during visit to NY police academy
PBS News Hour – Politics — 2026-08-14 11:58:00 — www.pbs.org
Trump Claims Crime Is “Way Down” Under His Watch, Despite Contradictory Reports
President Donald Trump is set to visit the Nassau County Police Academy in Long Island, New York, on Friday, where he plans to tout his record on crime and public safety ahead of the November midterms. The White House has announced that Trump will release new FBI crime statistics showing a decrease in violent crime for 2025, with spokesperson Lauren Bis stating, “President Trump promised to make America safe again and the data proves he has done just that.” The administration is positioning Trump as a steadfast supporter of law enforcement, contrasting him with “Defund-the-Police Democrats.”
Trump’s Claims on Crime Reduction
Trump has repeatedly claimed that crime has dropped significantly since he took office. In a recent social media post, he asserted, “crime is way down since I took Office, and they know it,” despite offering no evidence to support this statement. This claim comes as Trump faces criticism over the effectiveness of his approach to crime, particularly his deployment of the National Guard in cities like Washington and New Orleans. A report from the Center for American Progress found that these deployments failed to reduce crime, prompting Trump to lash out at the organization and threaten legal action.
Fact-Checking Trump’s Record
While the White House points to new FBI statistics indicating year-over-year decreases in murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, crime experts caution against drawing broad conclusions from single-year changes. They recommend focusing on long-term trends rather than short-term fluctuations. Additionally, an AP-NORC poll from August 2025 showed that crime was one of Trump’s strongest issues with voters, but his approval on the topic had dropped by 10 points by December 2025.
Political Context and Attacks
Trump’s visit to Nassau County is aimed at boosting Republican candidates in competitive races, including Bruce Blakeman, who is challenging Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul. Trump has previously claimed that Blakeman would curb “out of control” crime in the region. However, Hochul’s campaign has pushed back, highlighting investments in public safety and criticizing Trump and Blakeman for allowing violent crime to reach decade highs in the county.
Conclusion
President Trump continues to position himself as a champion of law enforcement and public safety, making bold claims about reductions in crime under his administration. However, his statements are contradicted by independent reports and polling data, and experts warn against relying on selective statistics. As the midterm elections approach, Trump’s rhetoric on crime remains a central—and contentious—issue in New York and beyond.