President Trump will visit the Nassau County Police Academy to promote White House-backed FBI figures showing a year-over-year decline in violent crime for 2025 and to rally Republican candidates in competitive New York districts. He will appear with Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel. Supporters frame the trip as a public-safety victory; critics call it politically motivated and urge scrutiny of single-year crime data. Experts recommend focusing on long-term trends rather than isolated annual changes.
Trump to Tout 2025 Drop in Violent Crime During Nassau County Police Academy Visit to Boost GOP
President Donald Trump attends the Patriot Games at Spire Academy in Geneva, Ohio, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump plans to spotlight his administration's record on crime and public safety during a visit Friday to the Nassau County Police Academy in suburban Long Island. The White House said it will unveil new FBI statistics showing a year-over-year decline in violent crime for 2025.
White House Statement: "President Trump promised to make America safe again and the data proves he has done just that," White House spokesperson Lauren Bis said. "Unlike Defund-the-Police Democrats, President Trump will always stand with our law enforcement officers and deliver safer American neighborhoods."
The trip is timed to help Republican candidates in competitive New York contests ahead of the November midterms. Trump narrowly carried Nassau County in 2024, flipping it Republican for the first time in more than two decades. The county includes two Democratic U.S. House districts Republicans view as winnable this fall and is home turf for Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, the Trump-endorsed Republican running for governor.
The White House said Trump will be joined in Nassau County by Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel. Nassau County is noted for having one of the largest police forces in the nation.
Political Context: This is Trump’s second New York appearance this year to support Blakeman and other Republicans. Supporters say the visit underscores a focus on public safety, while critics — including Gov. Kathy Hochul’s campaign — call the trip politically motivated. Hochul’s team pointed to her investments in policing technology and public-safety funding, and accused Blakeman of enabling rising crime.
Republican strategists argue crime is a core issue that resonates with Trump’s base and suburban swing voters. An AP-NORC poll in August 2025 found Trump's handling of crime among his better-rated issues, although approval on that topic had declined by about 10 points by December 2025.
Contested Claims and Cautions: Trump has cited National Guard deployments to cities such as Washington and New Orleans as evidence of his crime-fighting approach. This week he criticized a Center for American Progress report that concluded National Guard deployments did not reduce crime and threatened legal action, asserting on social media without providing evidence that "crime is way down since I took Office, and they know it."
Crime researchers caution against over-interpreting single-year changes and recommend focusing on longer-term trends. The White House says the new FBI data will show year-over-year declines in murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; experts urge contextual analysis before drawing firm conclusions.
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