Violent crime is tumbling across the United States—and the numbers are sending a clear message. Since Donald Trump returned to the presidency, the national murder rate has dropped by a staggering 20%, with some cities reporting historic declines.

The White House isn’t shy about claiming credit. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told The Daily Signal, “Since President Trump took office, murder rates have plummeted across the entire United States.” She credited his law-and-order stance, unwavering support for police, and his administration’s zero-tolerance approach to violent crime as key drivers behind the stunning reversal.

While some analysts suggest part of the decline reflects a broader post-COVID normalization, the data shows that the pace of improvement has accelerated sharply since Trump was sworn in again.

The numbers speak for themselves. As of May, homicides were down:

• 63% in Denver
• 36.8% in Cleveland
• 34.5% in St. Louis
• 31.6% in Baltimore
• 30.6% in New Orleans
• 26.8% in New York City
• 23.7% in Chicago

Even Philadelphia—a city notorious for recent crime spikes—saw homicides nearly cut in half compared to four years ago. Just 88 murders were reported by May 22, compared to 201 during the same period in 2021.

This dramatic turnaround isn’t happening in a vacuum. Since Day One, Trump has made it clear his administration would take a radically different approach from the soft-on-crime policies pushed by Soros-backed prosecutors and progressive governors.

Just hours after his inauguration, Trump signed the “Restoring the Death Penalty and Protecting Public Safety” order, laying the groundwork for expedited capital punishment in federal cases. He followed it with a March directive targeting violent crime in Washington, D.C., pledging federal support for overhauling the troubled Metropolitan Police Department.

Then in April, another executive order empowered state and local agencies to “relentlessly pursue criminals,” reinforcing cooperation between federal and local authorities and cutting red tape.

Another major piece of Trump’s strategy? A renewed crackdown on criminal illegal aliens. In May alone, ICE conducted major sweeps in multiple blue states, including a high-profile operation in Massachusetts that netted over 1,400 arrests.

Trump’s team sees the murder rate drop as vindication of his approach. Rather than blaming poverty or systemic issues, the administration is focusing on deterrence, swift justice, and empowering law enforcement to do their jobs without political interference.

Critics on the left have rushed to downplay the connection. They argue that murder rates were already on a slow decline post-COVID, and that it’s too soon to attribute the drop to Trump’s policies. But that talking point is wearing thin as city after city posts steep declines just months after Trump’s return to office.

What’s not up for debate is how different the rhetoric and policies are today compared to just one year ago. The Biden administration leaned heavily into criminal justice “reform,” handcuffing police while letting criminals off easy. Under Trump, the pendulum has clearly swung the other way.

It’s also worth noting how the media is struggling to credit Trump even as the crime trend moves in his favor. Outlets that once blamed him for every social ill now quietly acknowledge the numbers—without highlighting what’s changed.

For Americans fed up with rising violence, the turnaround offers a sense of hope. Whether it’s through executive orders, deportations, or simply backing law enforcement, Trump is proving that results still matter.

In politics, timing is everything. And with the 2026 midterms around the corner, a plummeting murder rate may become one of Trump’s most powerful calling cards.