Donald Trump recently asserted that the United States has become a nation where free speech is stifled and crime runs rampant, a claim that doesn’t hold up under scrutiny.
Contrary to Trump’s alarmist rhetoric, statistics show that crime rates have actually decreased during President Biden’s tenure. Violent crime, for instance, has dropped by 15 percent since 2020, totaling 339 violent crimes per 100,000 people. Moreover, crime levels are currently lower than they were during the Trump administration, with significant reductions in property crimes as well.
Trump’s assertion that crime is spiraling out of control under the Biden administration simply doesn’t align with the data. In fact, there were 22% fewer murders in 2023 compared to 2020. This stark decrease in murders challenges Trump’s narrative, prompting one to question the validity of his claims.
FBI statistics support the notion that crime rates have taken a notable downturn. While there was a surge in murders and overall violent crime rates between 2019 and 2020, 2023 saw a remarkable reversal of this trend. U.S. cities witnessed a significant reduction of over 12% in murders, marking a historic decline.
To understand this shift, it’s essential to analyze the root causes behind the earlier crime surge, largely influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic disrupted various aspects of American life, leading to reduced police presence, staffing shortages, school closures, and cuts to social services and anti-violence programs. These factors contributed to the rise in crime rates during the pandemic years.