Trump Credits ‘Simple Business’ Policing for Sharpest Crime Drop in Modern History
President Donald J. Trump recently celebrated a significant achievement: a marked decline in the nation’s murder rate. Speaking at a rally, he remarked, “Simple business! 2% of the population causes 90% of the crime! So when you start DECIMATING that 2%, BOOM!” He asserted that within a year, his administration led to the largest drop in murder rates in history.
The statistics corroborate Trump’s claim. The Council on Criminal Justice reported a 21% decrease in homicides from 2024 to 2025 across 35 major cities, marking the most substantial single-year decline in modern crime data. Major cities like Denver, Washington, D.C., and Chicago showed homicide reductions exceeding 30%.
According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, this was a direct result of Trump’s commitment to law and order. “President Trump promised to bring back law and order. This is what happens when you have a President who fully mobilizes federal law enforcement to arrest violent criminals and the worst of the worst illegal aliens,” she noted.
The campaign’s messaging emphasized the simplicity of Trump’s approach, with a tweet stating: “NOW — PRESIDENT TRUMP DROPS TRUTH NUKE: ‘Simple business! 2% of the population causes 90% of the crime! So when you start DECIMATING that 2%, BOOM!’” This has ignited discussions ranging from praise for its straightforwardness to criticisms claiming it oversimplifies broader crime issues.
A Crime Strategy Focused on High-Risk Offenders
Experts back the claim that a small number of repeat offenders is behind a significant portion of violent crime. Justin Keener, president of Americans for Public Safety, observed, “Data shows that crime, particularly violent crime, is perpetrated by a very small percentage of individuals in each jurisdiction.” Under Trump’s leadership, federal agencies honed in on arresting these high-risk individuals, dismantling criminal networks, and emphasizing violent offenses by illegal immigrants.
In August 2025, the administration took bold action by federalizing the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department and deploying National Guard troops. Trump made a stark comparison regarding the city’s homicide rates, stating, “The murder rate in Washington today is higher than that of Bogotá, Colombia, and Mexico City.” His assertion highlighted the need for federal intervention in a city struggling with crime despite recent improvements.
Historic Reductions Across Major Cities
These efforts yielded historic results across various urban centers:
- Denver: Homicides plummeted by 41%
- Washington, D.C.: A 40% reduction
- Omaha: Homicides down by 40%
- Philadelphia: Achieved its lowest murder rate in 60 years
- New York City: Recorded lows in shootings and gun violence
- Chicago, Atlanta, Long Beach: Over 30% decreases
New York City’s Police Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch noted, “These historic reductions in crime did not happen by chance or accident — they are the direct product of a deliberate, data-driven strategy achieving unprecedented public safety milestones.”
Former police officer and current law enforcement director Josh Schirard observed, “Finally in 2023, we came over that hump, and we started to see that decline in violent crimes which continued in 2024, and now we’re starting to see that momentum.”
Experts attribute much of the improvement to an uptick in using crime data analytics, effective targeting in high-crime areas, and improved cooperation between local and federal law enforcement agencies. Cities adopting precision policing—focusing on specific areas and repeat offenders—exhibited the most significant gains.
An Administration-Wide Approach
The broader policies of the Trump administration complemented this crime-fighting strategy:
- Over 2.6 million illegal immigrants were removed, reducing fentanyl and weapons flow across the border.
- Federal actions targeted transnational criminal organizations and classified violent street gangs as terrorist groups.
- Local governments received federal support for modern surveillance technology and data sharing with national databases.
Trump also made notable changes in law enforcement recruiting, moving away from diversity quotas in favor of merit-based hiring. The Justice Department, led by Attorney General Pam Bondi, emphasized prosecuting serious offenses and repeat offenders, supported by shifts at the FBI under Director Kash Patel.
Nationwide Fallout and Political Implications
However, improvements in crime rates are not uniform. Cities such as Little Rock, Fort Worth, and Milwaukee still reported increasing homicide rates, serving as a reminder that crime varies regionally even amid national declines.
Critics continue to challenge Trump’s policing model, arguing that social patterns and demographic shifts also influence crime trends. Commentators from publications like the New York Times and The Atlantic suggest these elements play significant roles, a sentiment that supporters of the administration dismiss as mere excuses.
The reported 21% decline in homicides aligns with analyses from independent sources and is expected to be confirmed by forthcoming FBI data, potentially indicating the U.S. murder rate’s lowest point since 1900.
While discussions around the factors influencing crime rates persist, the statistics are striking. A surge in violence seen during the pandemic years seems to be easing. To Trump, the solution is straightforward: target the violent offenders, and crime reduces significantly. “Isn’t that amazing?” he exclaimed. “Not that complicated.”
"*" indicates required fields
