President Trump visited Garden City on New York’s Long Island, Friday afternoon to talk about the marked drop in crime across America, with FBI data showing violent crime fell 9.3 percent from 2024 to 2025, including an 18.1 percent drop in murder, 18.5 percent drop in robbery, 7.6 percent drop in rape, and 7.2 percent drop in aggravated assault.
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Attorney General Todd Blanche, who was sworn in earlier this week, kicked off the event by revealing that the Department of Justice (DOJ) had moved “at lightning speed” to charge 170,000 criminals since President Trump took office. That, noted Blanche, was a full 50,000 more criminals charged than the Biden DOJ had done in the same time period.
.@AGToddBlanche: “Since the beginning of President Trump’s Administration, the DOJ has moved at lightning speed. We have charged 170,000 criminals in this country — and just to put that in perspective, that’s 50,000 MORE than the last Administration did over the same time.” pic.twitter.com/WQFvSqzSgq
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 14, 2026
The president continued that theme when he took the stage, saying, “Last year, there were over 3,100 fewer murders than the year before I took office, 10,000 fewer rapes, and 1.1 million fewer violent crimes.”
.@POTUS: Last year, there were over 3,100 fewer murders than the year before I took office, 10,000 fewer rapes, and 1.1 million fewer violent crimes. Robberies fell by 19%, car thefts plunged by 23% — and according to the latest data, crime has continued to plummet under our… pic.twitter.com/4Azgc3KfYy
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 14, 2026
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.@POTUS: Last year, there were over 3,100 fewer murders than the year before I took office, 10,000 fewer rapes, and 1.1 million fewer violent crimes. Robberies fell by 19%, car thefts plunged by 23% — and according to the latest data, crime has continued to plummet under our leadership in 2026, with robberies down another 20% and murders down an additional 23%.
Together, we are showing what is possible when you finally have a President in the White House who BACKS THE BLUE!
The numbers don’t lie.
https://t.co/EO2dtoYfWp pic.twitter.com/xvAlISuTXP
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 14, 2026
New York State was the ideal setting to talk about crime, noted the president, because “[n]owhere is the Communist attack on American society more clear than here in New York.” And that’s because of the disastrous policies of Governor Kathy Hochul (D), who, among other things, supports a no-cash bail law, releasing cop killers, and using taxpayer money to help illegal aliens lawyer up.
.@POTUS on Long Island: Nowhere is the Communist attack on American society more clear than here in New York. Radical Left @GovKathyHochul has been a NIGHTMARE on crime:
❌ She supports New York’s disastrous No Cash Bail law, which releases dangerous criminals immediately after… pic.twitter.com/ptp4GtW5t4
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 14, 2026
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.@POTUS on Long Island: Nowhere is the Communist attack on American society more clear than here in New York. Radical Left @GovKathyHochul has been a NIGHTMARE on crime:
❌ She supports New York’s disastrous No Cash Bail law, which releases dangerous criminals immediately after arrest.
❌ She supported the release of convicted murderers who killed New York police officers.
❌ She signed a law weakening parole enforcement for convicted felons.
❌ She spent millions of dollars providing taxpayer-funded lawyers to illegals.
❌ Less than three months ago, she signed a deadly and seditious new law making New York a so-called “sanctuary state” — meaning Hochul wants to release migrant criminals from jail and set them loose to prey on innocent New Yorkers.
There was a very touching moment when the president stopped his remarks after noticing a woman in the crowd was visibly upset. He left the stage to wade into the audience to give her a hug.
.@POTUS leaves the stage to meet Jesus Freytes and Migdalia Martinez.
Their 12-year-old son, Jacob, was shot and killed by a stray bullet while riding his bike in the Bronx — a shot fired by a repeat offender and gangbanger.
May God bless them. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/ihUQAinowe
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 14, 2026
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Their story underscores the devastating consequences to American families when violent repeat offenders are allowed to cycle right back onto the streets. And there’s only one party that supports doing that.
For years, Democrats have pushed garbage laws like no-cash bail, sanctuary policies, selective prosecution, and a criminal-justice philosophy that seemed more concerned with coddling the criminals than seeking justice for the victims.
President Trump hammered home a simple truth that needs to be repeated over and over again as the midterms move closer: Americans are safer when criminals are treated like criminals instead of victims of the system.
Editor’s Note: The American people overwhelmingly support President Trump’s law and order agenda.
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