Reported violent crime across the United States fell 9% from June 2025 through May 2026, according to the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer, with robbery down 19.4%, murder down 18.7%, rape down 10% and aggravated assault down 6.2%.
The decline has drawn notice from an unlikely source: HBO host Bill Maher, a longtime critic of President Donald Trump, credited the president’s combative persona as one factor behind the drop during Friday’s episode of “Real Time.”
“It’s not just drug crime that’s way down, it’s all crime,” Maher said, before adding that widespread surveillance may also be playing a role. “Probably much of it is not political. It’s because you can’t move two inches in America without being tracked, photographed, and followed by a Flock camera.”
“Is doing it this way the right thing? No. But it’s just childish to pretend that when you elect a f—around-and-find-out president, a no-more-Mr.-Nice-Guy, boot-in-your-a–, ‘V for Vendetta,’ kick-a– and take names, say-hello-to-my-little-friend president, that’s not going to have some effect on crime,” Maher said.
Maher, who said he does not “agree with many of [Trump’s] methods,” argued that the president’s approach can’t be dismissed given the results. He also credited Democratic policy, saying that “when Democrats expand the safety net, there are less desperate people.” He closed by referencing UFC fights staged on the White House lawn: “I think the bad guys got the message.”
Law enforcement sees room for agreement
Retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent Jason Pack told Fox News Digital that crime policy may be one of the few areas where Americans across the political spectrum can find common ground.
“People may have strong disagreements with other parts of an agenda, but there can still be common ground around getting violent offenders off the street and making neighborhoods safer,” Pack said. “You don’t have to wear somebody’s campaign button to admit when something appears to be working. That’s probably why you’re hearing even some of the president’s critics acknowledge what they’re seeing on crime.”
Pack said cooperation among local, state and federal law enforcement remains essential to sustaining the trend. “People can and do disagree about politics. That’s nothing new. But most folks want the same things when they get home at the end of the day,” he said. “We may never get all the way back to the days when people left the front door unlocked, but folks ought to be able to feel secure in their own neighborhood and know violent offenders are being taken off the street. That’s not red or blue. It seems to me that’s red, white and blue.”
White House response
The White House pointed to the FBI figures as evidence the administration is delivering on a core campaign promise. “President Trump promised to make America safe again and the data proves he has done just that. He has delivered the largest decrease in violent crime in American history,” a White House spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “Unlike Defund-the-Police Democrats, President Trump will always stand with our law enforcement officers and deliver safer American neighborhoods.”
