U.S. President Donald Trump claims that the crime rate and number of murders in the United States have dropped to their lowest level in 125 years, which his administration attributes to its own policies. Preliminary data from many large cities, such as Washington D.C. and San Francisco, indeed show a significant decrease in homicides. However, experts point out that the picture is complex, and the level of violence still exceeds the average in many metropolitan areas.

Claim of Historic Low

President Trump announced that crime and murders in the U.S. are at their lowest level in 125 years, which is confirmed by preliminary data from January.

Drop in Homicides in Cities

Many large U.S. cities, including Washington D.C. and San Francisco, have reported a significant decrease in the number of homicides compared to 2024.

Political Interpretation of Data

The White House attributes the drop in crime to President Trump's policy, including increasing federal resources for cities managed by Democrats.

Varied Situation Across the Country

Despite the overall downward trend, the level of violence in some cities, such as Washington D.C., still remains above the national average.

President of the United States Donald Trump announced that the crime rate in the country, especially the number of homicides, has fallen to its lowest level in 125 years. The White House, in an official statement, attributed this trend to the Trump administration's policy, describing it as „direct result” — Donald Trump of its actions, including increasing federal resources directed to cities managed by the Democratic Party. In the 1980s and 1990s, the United States experienced a sharp increase in crime, especially related to crack cocaine trafficking, which led to the introduction of harsh laws and mass arrests. Since the 1990s, the trend has generally been downward, albeit with periodic fluctuations.Preliminary data from 67 large police departments indicate a 19 percent drop in reported homicides from January to September 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. For example, in San Francisco, the number of homicides fell by 20% between 2024 and 2025. In Washington D.C., as reported by The New York Times, the number of murders in January 2026 was blisko 100% — lower than a year earlier, although the article notes that the level of violence in the capital remains higher than the average in the analyzed sample of large cities. Despite optimistic reports, the narrative of inevitable decline of some urban centers persists. An analysis by the consulting firm SmartAsset from 2025, which compared the 50 largest U.S. cities, did not rank Washington D.C. among the safest. This means that while the overall trend is positive, the situation varies across different regions and cities. Trump had previously argued that high crime levels in Democrat-run cities were one of the reasons he considered sending federal troops there. The current data appears to undermine this argument. Although homicide rates may be reaching historic lows, it does not automatically mean that rates of all types of violent crimes are at record lows, though, as the BBC acknowledges, they have also fallen to their lowest level in decades.

Mentioned People

  • Donald Trump — President of the United States, who announced the drop in crime.