Bill Maher gave President Donald Trump some unexpected credit Friday night, arguing that the president’s hard-edged image is helping reinforce a national drop in crime.
“It’s just childish to pretend that when you elect a ‘f— around and find out’ president … that’s not going to have some effect on crime,” Maher said on HBO’s “Real Time.”
Maher rattled off a string of action-movie descriptions for Trump before landing on the point: criminals notice when the president projects toughness.
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“He has UFC fights on the lawn,” Maher joked. “I think the bad guys got the message.”
The numbers behind Maher’s point are striking.
FBI data show the national violent-crime rate fell 9.3% in 2025, the largest one-year decline since the bureau began estimating national trends in 1936. Murder fell 18.1%, robbery dropped 18.5%, rape declined 7.6%, and aggravated assault fell 7.2%.
The murder rate fell to 4.1 per 100,000 people, tying 1955 and 1956 for the lowest rate in the FBI’s national estimates.
Maher did not give Trump all the credit.
He also pointed to surveillance technology, Democratic social-spending policies and other factors that may have contributed to the decline. He criticized some of Trump’s immigration methods as well.
And the downturn did not begin with Trump. FBI data show violent crime was already falling before 2025, including a 4.5% decline in 2024.
Watch the clips below:
Bills gone full MAGA https://t.co/8EeuFjmyMh
— Tim Pool (@Timcast) September 28, 2026
🚨 JUST IN OVERNIGHT: Bill Maher stuns Democrats by saying Donald Trump is a BAD*SS in QUASHING CRIME in record fashion
The truth is undeniable!
“It’s childish to pretend that when you arrest a FAFO PRESIDENT, a NO MORE MR. NICE GUY, booting your a**, kick*ss and take names…
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) September 26, 2026
