Trump Highlights Decline in Violent Crime Under Acting AG Blanche

President Donald Trump has highlighted significant reductions in violent crime and murders under acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. These comments come before Blanche’s confirmation hearing with the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Trump nominated Blanche for the Department of Justice role after former Attorney General Pam Bondi resigned in April. For Blanche’s nomination to proceed to a Senate vote, he needs support from the Judiciary Committee, where the margin is narrow following Senator Lindsey Graham’s death.

Support Uncertain

Some Republican senators, like John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, might not fully back Blanche’s nomination. On Truth Social, Trump urged party members to support Blanche, noting a decline in violent crime as a key reason for advancing his nomination.

“Under Todd’s incredible leadership at DOJ, Murder is down to the LOWEST level since 1900, and we just saw the biggest one-year drop in RECORDED HISTORY. Violent Crime arrests are UP 100%. Robberies, Carjackings, and Assaults, are all CRASHING. More than 500 million deadly doses of Drugs have already been seized, saving countless innocent lives,” Trump wrote.

He criticized previous administrations, attributing crime levels to poor policies.

Crime Data Overview

The FBI’s preliminary data supports Trump’s claims of reduced violent crime during his administration. However, the final 2025 crime figures are pending. Data shows a notable drop in violent crime in 2025, during Bondi’s tenure.

The FBI data released in May indicates a 9.3% fall in violent crime from 2024 to 2025, with property crime decreasing by 12.4%. Angelo Kevin Brown, a criminologist from Arkansas State University, states economic conditions highly influence crime trends, alongside factors like education and healthcare policies.

Examining Trump’s Claims

Murder Rate

The White House referenced a Council on Criminal Justice report hinting that 2025 may have the lowest murder rate since 1900. However, final FBI data for 2025 is awaited to confirm this.

Violent Crime Arrests

Trump mentioned that violent crime arrests doubled, citing FBI Director Kash Patel’s report stating arrests grew across several field offices. Nonetheless, national data validating a complete doubling isn’t publicly available yet.

Decrease in Other Crimes

Preliminary FBI data indicates reductions in robberies, carjackings, and assaults in 2025, with robbery down by 18.5% and aggravated assault down by 7.2%.

Drug Seizures

Trump’s claim about drug seizures is accurate. More than 500 million doses have been seized to date in 2026, with over 369 million seized in 2025.

Scrutiny and Pandemic Impact

In May, the FBI denied reports of inflating arrest numbers under Patel’s policies. The Bureau dismissed claims of manipulating data to boost arrest statistics.

Violent crime surged during the COVID-19 pandemic toward the end of Trump’s term. Brown mentions several factors like economic disparity and social disruptions contributed to this rise. The Brennan Center for Justice identified gun purchases and socioeconomic effects as significant contributors to the pandemic-era crime spike.