FBI Reports Murder Rate Lowest Since 1956

"I'm thrilled to announce that the FBI has just released a new Uniform Crime Report showing that in 2025 we achieved the single largest reduction in violent crime in American history," Trump said. "Pretty amazing. And last year there were over 3,100 fewer murders than the year before I took office."

He called the figures "the best numbers anybody's ever seen on crime" and used them against Democratic-run cities. "Let's say they don't have good leadership, like Chicago has very bad leadership. But we have the numbers down because of what the federal government's doing," Trump said. "They like to take all the credit, but everyone knows we've done an amazing job." The New York Post reported the president is turning the report into a fresh attack line on Democrats.

Trump and Patel have pointed to surging federal resources into cities and, in Patel's phrase, letting "good cops be cops." Trump also credited newly confirmed Attorney General Todd Blanche.

A White House statement quoted by ZeroHedge said: "President Trump promised to make America safe again, and the data proves he has done just that."

Researchers are more cautious. Crime rates have been falling since before Trump's second term began. "The homicide drop is historic and crystal clear. But right now, what's driving it is about as clear as a glass of milk," said Adam Gelb, president of the nonpartisan Council on Criminal Justice. "Rates are falling in cities with very different public safety strategies, economic conditions, and political leadership. The consistency across the map should make us cautious about handing credit to any one leader, party, policy, or program before the evidence catches up."

Council on Criminal Justice researchers told CNN the likely influences include changes in how criminal justice is enforced, societal and cultural change, and technological advances.