Trump Leverages Previously Dismissed Murder Statistics as He Reframes His Narrative

Recently, President Donald Trump claimed that the nation's murder rate has "plummeted by 28%" since his administration began. Local police data indeed reflects a decline in the murder rate, a trend that has persisted for several years. Interestingly, Trump previously labeled the crime statistics he now cites as "fake news" during his campaign. Throughout the 2024 race, Trump contended that violent crime surged under President Joe Biden, even though FBI data indicated a spike in 2020 followed by a downward trend starting in 2022. During a June 5 roundtable with the Fraternal Order of Police, Trump referenced homicide statistics from law enforcement agencies. Jeff Asher, co-founder of AH Datalytics, noted that a significant drop in murder rates was plausible for 2025, with early data suggesting a 21.6% decrease. Moreover, various organizations report consistent declines in homicides across multiple years, contradicting Trump's portrayal of rising crime under Biden. Asher confirmed that trends indicate murder rates continue to fall, illustrating a complex landscape in crime statistics under differing administrations.