President Donald Trump promoted a reduction in violent crime and murders under acting Attorney General Todd Blanche prior to Blanche’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Trump nominated Blanche to head the Department of Justice (DOJ) after Pam Bondi, the former attorney general, resigned in April.
For Todd Blanche’s nomination to proceed to the Senate floor, he needs backing from the Judiciary Committee. As Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, who served on the committee, passed away, Blanche can only afford to lose one Republican vote. Some Republicans, like Texas Senator John Cornyn and North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis, are seen as possible swing votes.
On Tuesday, Trump used Truth Social to encourage party members to support Blanche. He cited a decline in violent crime as a key reason. Trump claimed that, under Blanche’s leadership, the murder rate reached the lowest level since 1900, marking the largest one-year drop in history. He also stated that violent crime arrests were up 100% and that robberies, carjackings, and assaults were decreasing. Furthermore, more than 500 million deadly doses of drugs were seized.
Trump attributed these changes to law enforcement efforts and criticized previous Democratic policies.
“This is what happens when you unleash LAW AND ORDER on our streets,” Trump wrote.
Preliminary FBI data supports parts of Trump’s claims. Violent crime did fall during his administration, but the final 2025 crime figures are pending. Angelo Kevin Brown, a criminologist from Arkansas State University, highlighted the economy as a significant factor in crime trends. Other influencing factors include local policies on education, healthcare, and social safety nets.
Evaluating Trump’s Claims
Murder Rate: The White House has discussed a Council on Criminal Justice report predicting the homicide rate might drop to around 4 per 100,000 residents in 2025, potentially the lowest since 1900. However, final FBI data has not been released.
Violent Crime Arrests: Trump mentioned that arrests doubled, citing FBI Director Kash Patel’s statements regarding 17 field offices. It’s unclear if this applies to all 56 offices. More recent data indicates an increase in violent crime arrests, but specifics are not comprehensive.
Robberies, Carjackings, Assaults: FBI early data from 2025 reflected a decrease in these crimes. Robbery fell by approximately 18.5%, aggravated assault by 7.2%. Motor vehicle theft frequency was also reported.
Drug Seizures: This claim aligns with DEA figures, detailing seizures of over 190 million drug doses in 2026 and over 369 million in 2025.
The FBI has countered accusations of inflating statistics. A report from MS Now suggested Patel’s policies aimed to bolster arrest figures. The FBI refuted these allegations, defending its record of reducing crime and capturing criminals.
The Impact of COVID-19
Violent crime surged at the pandemic’s climax under the Trump administration, yet has receded since. While the economy was influential, other factors like heightened stress and prolonged home confinement contributed. Experts dispute claims regarding criminal justice reform’s role.
A Brennan Center for Justice report from July 2022 connected the crime increase to heightened gun purchases and socioeconomic shifts. The pandemic’s exacerbation of mental health issues and economic disparities played a significant role.
Challenges faced were particularly hard for individuals with criminal records during a historically unequal recession.
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