Is US crime at a historic low?
BBC Verify assesses claims by the Trump administration that crime and murder in the US are at their lowest levels for 125 years.
Coverage by Political Leaning
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Notable Quotes
"the crime rate now is the lowest it's been since 1900, that's 125 years"
— Donald Trump , Politician
"If the FBI were to substantially revise down the 2024 homicide rate and/or if the official 2025 homicide rate ultimately comes in higher than our current estimate, 2025 may not be the lowest ever recorded - but it would still rank among the lowest homicide rates observed in the US since 1900."
— Ernesto Lopez , Academic
"Didn’t you know that? I’d say that in a speech and everybody was surprised because the press doesn’t like to tell it like it is."
— Donald Trump , Politician
"When he talks about the 47 years and the rate, I’m handed the information, I think you referred to it as well, that we have had an increase from 2014 to 2015."
— Kellyanne Conway , Politician
"And, again, Kellyanne, the media doesn’t report it because it’s a lie, because it’s not true."
— Jake Tapper , Other
Key People
Professor of criminology at the University of Miami.
Former president of the United States known for his aggressive economic policies.
One of the authors of a study on homicide rates.
Jake Tapper is a journalist and anchor at CNN.
US crime expert analyzing FBI data.
Kellyanne Conway is a senior advisor to Donald Trump.
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All Coverage
BBC Verify assesses claims by the Trump administration that crime and murder in the US are at their lowest levels for 125 years.
A study by the Council on Criminal Justice found that murders in the U.S. dropped by over 20% in 2025, marking the largest one-year decline on record and potentially the lowest murder rate since 1900.
President Trump falsely claimed that the U.S. murder rate was at a 47-year high, despite FBI data showing it was near a 57-year low at the time.
CNN fact-checked President Trump's assertion that the U.S. murder rate was at a 47-year high, revealing that the actual rate was significantly lower than claimed.
CNN fact-checked claims made during the Republican National Convention, including false assertions about rising crime rates, highlighting that violent crime had actually declined in recent years.
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