Trump heads to New York as FBI data shows 18.1% drop in murders
Why it matters: Republicans are elevating crime before the midterms even as the nationwide decline began before Trump returned to office.
President Donald Trump is set to appear Friday at the Nassau County Police Academy in New York to spotlight new FBI figures showing a sharp drop in violent crime in 2025. Excerpts shared by the White House show murder and non-negligent manslaughter down 18.1%, robberies down 18.5%, rapes down 7.6% and aggravated assault down 7.2%. Trump plans to use the data to argue his law-and-order agenda is working as Republicans try to make public safety a central midterm issue. But the broader decline predates his return to office, with homicide rates already falling in 2023 and 2024 after a pandemic-era surge. Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel are expected to join him.