David Muir’s fact check of Donald Trump’s claims about rising violent crime during a September debate has not aged well, as new FBI data revisions reveal Trump was right.
At a Glance:
- During a September debate, ABC’s David Muir challenged Trump’s claim that violent crime was rising, citing FBI data showing a decrease.
- The FBI has since revised its 2022 statistics, turning a reported 2.1% drop in violent crime into a 4.5% increase, validating Trump’s argument.
- Trump slammed the initial report during the debate, calling the data fraudulent and excluding major cities with the worst crime rates.
In the midst of a fiery debate between Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, ABC News anchor David Muir attempted to fact-check Trump’s claim that violent crime was “through the roof.” Muir relied on the FBI’s 2022 report, which showed a decline in crime. Trump, however, shot back, accusing the FBI of releasing fraudulent data and leaving out cities with the highest crime rates.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBkIDmWGDQs
Months later, the FBI has quietly revised its numbers, revealing that violent crime actually rose by 4.5% in 2022, confirming Trump’s assertion. This major swing in the data has undercut Muir’s fact check and drawn attention to the accuracy of FBI crime reporting under the Biden-Harris administration.
So, Trump was right.
Breitbart News had flagged issues with the FBI’s report earlier, noting that many police precincts had failed to report their crime data, leading to skewed statistics. Trump’s criticism of the report during the debate, initially dismissed by Muir, now appears justified, especially as crime has become a central issue in his 2024 presidential campaign.
The revision has also reignited debates about the handling of crime under President Biden and Vice President Harris, with many conservatives criticizing the administration’s approach to law enforcement and public safety. The shift in FBI data, along with Trump’s vindication, adds fuel to the fire as the country heads into another heated election season.
