President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he is working with Republican lawmakers to craft a new crime bill.
In a post on Truth Social, the president wrote, “Speaker Mike Johnson, and Leader John Thune, are working with me, and other Republicans, on a Comprehensive Crime Bill. It’s what our Country need, and NOW! More to follow. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!”
Trump had previously floated the idea of passing a new piece of legislation to curb crime in major cities across the country after federalizing law enforcement in Washington, DC. “We think the Democrats will not do anything to stop crime, but we think the Republicans will do it almost unanimously,” Trump said during a press conference. “So we're going to need a crime bill that we're going to be putting in, and it's going to pertain initially to DC.”
⚖ Fast-Track Crime Bill Coming
— Next News Network 🇺🇲 (@NextNewsNetwork) August 13, 2025
Trump says a D.C. crime bill will pass quickly, serving as a “positive example” nationwide. Warns he’ll declare a national emergency if needed — but expects near-unanimous Republican backing to make cities safe again.
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So far, the president has not given any details on what provisions might be in the crime bill. It appears Republican lawmakers aren’t quite sure either, according to a Politico report suggesting that they are trying to figure out what President Trump would like to see in the bill. So far, only a smattering of bills related to Washington, DC are being discussed among Republican lawmakers.
Crime was a central component of Trump’s 2024 campaign. He repeatedly vowed to reduce crime rates in cities where Democrats have failed.
Earlier this month, the FBI released data showing that crime dropped across every major category last year.
The FBI’s report received data from over 16,000 law enforcement agencies that cover about 95.6 percent of the US population. The FBI found that “a violent crime still occurrred on average every 25.9 seconds” in the US, but overall violent crime has dropped by 4.5 percent compared to 2023.
Murder and non-negligent manslaughter were down 14.9 percent while robberies fell by 8.9 percent. Rape decreased by 5.2 percent and aggravated assault by three percent. CBS News noted that “the murder and nonnegligent manslaughter rate dropped for a second straight year” to five per 100,000 people. This represents the lowest point since 2014.
Property crimes have also declined, falling by 8.1 percent, with motor vehicle thefts plummeting by 18.6 percent. This represents the “largest one-year drop ever recorded in that category,” CBS News explained. However, car theft still remains higher than it was in 2019.
Nevertheless, Trump has considered sending National Guard troops to cities like Chicago, Baltimore, and others as he did in DC. While crime rates have declined, they remain high in several major cities.