President Donald Trump has promoted reductions in violent crime and murder under acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. This comes ahead of Blanche’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Trump nominated Blanche after former Attorney General Pam Bondi resigned in April. Blanche needs the committee’s support to advance to the Senate floor. With Senator Lindsey Graham’s passing, he can afford to lose only one Republican vote.

Not all Republicans have pledged their support. Senators John Cornyn from Texas and Thom Tillis from North Carolina are seen as key swing votes. Trump used Truth Social on Tuesday to urge Republican senators to support Blanche’s nomination. He highlighted a decline in violent crime as a key reason for backing his nominee. Trump claimed, “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.”

He criticized Democrats and blamed them for previous crime levels, claiming they protected criminals and released illegal aliens under President Biden’s tenure. Preliminary FBI data supports part of Trump’s statements, indicating a broad decline in violent crime during his administration. However, final 2025 crime figures remain unpublished.

Has Violent Crime Decreased Under Trump’s DOJ?

The most recent available data is from 2025, when Bondi still served. The data shows a sharp decrease in violent crime compared to past years, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. In May, the FBI released early data revealing a 9.3 percent drop in violent crime from 2024 to 2025. Property crime fell by 12.4 percent. The FBI emphasized that the data could change before the final report’s release.

Angelo Kevin Brown, criminologist at Arkansas State University, told Newsweek, “The main factor that seems to be pretty well proven is the economy. When we’ve had good economies, we’ve seen the largest decreases in crime.” Brown noted other influencing factors like education policies, healthcare, and social safety nets. Most impactful policies emanate from local and state levels, not federal. Any effect from Trump’s administration funding shifts might be too new to gauge.

Brown added that decreasing crime rates started before Trump’s presidency.

Murder Down to Lowest Point Since 1900, Biggest One-Year Drop in History

The White House earlier cited a Council on Criminal Justice Report, forecasting the 2025 homicide rate at about 4 per 100,000 residents. This would mark the lowest rate since 1900. However, the FBI hasn’t released full data for 2025 yet. The White House described the drop as a “monumental turnaround.” Early estimates showed murder and non-negligent manslaughter fell by 18.1 percent, according to the FBI’s preview.

Violent Crime Arrests Doubled

Trump claimed violent crime arrests have doubled. FBI Director Kash Patel reported to Fox News that arrests doubled in 17 field offices during Trump’s first year. Nation-wide data is less clear. Patel emphasized an FBI priority shift towards tackling violent crime and giving local personnel more resources. As of May 2026, violent crime arrests rose 39 percent to more than 11,500. Yet, this only reflects FBI data. Nationwide violent crime arrest data remains pending in upcoming reports.

Robberies, Carjackings, Assault ‘Crashing’

The FBI’s preliminary 2025 data showed a decrease in robbery by an estimated 18.5 percent and aggravated assault by 7.2 percent. Vehicle thefts happened roughly every 46.8 seconds, lacking percentage drop details.

More than 500 Million Deadly Doses of Drugs Seized

This claim holds merit. The DEA reported over 190 million deadly drug doses seized in 2026 and more than 369 million in 2025.

FBI Crime Numbers Under Scrutiny

In May, the FBI countered reports alleging that Patel’s policies artificially inflated crime statistics. MS Now reported some field offices were instructed to count any arrest involving FBI presence. Ben Williamson, from the FBI’s Public Affairs Office, repudiated these claims, defending their crime reduction achievements.

Crime Trends During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Violent crime rates, including murder, rose during COVID-19 at the Trump administration’s end. Since then, a decrease occurred. The economy was a factor, but several other elements shaped pandemic-era crime trends. Home confinement, reduced social activities, and elevated stress levels contributed.

Some blamed progressive criminal justice reforms like bail changes post-2020 Black Lives Matter protests. Experts argue broader factors like increased guns sales and socioeconomic shifts were more significant. A Brennan Center report from July 2022 mentioned exacerbated mental health issues, disruptions to nonprofits focusing on crime prevention, and an uneven economic recession impacting increased crime rates.