Bill Maher says Trump’s tough persona helped drive down crime rates

Comedian Bill Maher offered surprising praise for President Donald Trump’s handling of crime Friday, telling his audience that the president’s tough-guy persona may have played a role in a nationwide drop in violent crime.

“It’s not just drug crime that’s way down, it’s all crime,” Maher said during Friday’s episode of HBO’s “Real Time,” adding, “And again, probably much of it is not political. It’s because you can’t move two inches in America without being tracked, photographed, and followed by a Flock camera.”

According to the late-night host, the president is a “bad a–” and it’s childish to pretend” his tough on crime stance isn’t having an impact. 

Maher went on to credit both Democratic policies and Trump with contributing to lower nationwide crime rates.

MAHER MOCKS LIBERALS FOR STILL PANICKING ABOUT TRUMP’S ANTICS, PERSONALITY AFTER 10 YEARS

“It’s also because when Democrats expand the safety net, there are less desperate people,” Maher said. “And because Trump is a bad a–.”

Maher added that while he does not “agree with many of [Trump’s] methods,” he cannot argue that the president’s tough-on-crime approach has yielded successful results.

TRUMP TO RALLY WITH NEW YORK POLICE IN HIGHLIGHTING HISTORIC COAST-TO-COAST VIOLENT CRIME DROP

“Is doing it this way the right thing? No. But it’s just childish to pretend that when you elect a f—around-and-find-out president, a no-more-Mr.-Nice-Guy, boot-in-your-a–, ‘V for Vendetta,’ kick-a– and take names, say-hello-to-my-little-friend president, that’s not going to have some effect on crime,” he continued.

“He has UFC fights on the lawn,” Maher concluded. “I think the bad guys got the message.”

KASH PATEL TO TOUT ‘LARGEST’ YEAR-TO-YEAR VIOLENT CRIME DROP IN US HISTORY

According to the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer, reported violent crime nationwide fell 9% from June 2025 through May 2026. Robbery saw the steepest drop, at 19.4%, followed by murder at 18.7%, rape at 10% and aggravated assault at 6.2%.

Retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent Jason Pack also pointed to the potential for bipartisan agreement on crime, telling Fox News Digital that “people may have strong disagreements with other parts of an agenda,” but that “there can still be common ground around getting violent offenders off the street and making neighborhoods safer.”

CRIME IS FALLING, OFFICIALS SAY — VICTIMS CLAIM REPORTING ISN’T WORTH IT

“You don’t have to wear somebody’s campaign button to admit when something appears to be working. That’s probably why you’re hearing even some of the president’s critics acknowledge what they’re seeing on crime,” Pack said.

He emphasized the need for collaboration among local, state and federal law enforcement to make a meaningful difference in fighting crime across the country.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

“People can and do disagree about politics. That’s nothing new. But most folks want the same things when they get home at the end of the day,” Pack said, adding, “We may never get all the way back to the days when people left the front door unlocked, but folks ought to be able to feel secure in their own neighborhood and know violent offenders are being taken off the street. That’s not red or blue. It seems to me that’s red, white and blue.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The White House also praised the decline in crime, pointing to the statistics in a statement to Fox News Digital.

“President Trump promised to make America safe again and the data proves he has done just that. He has delivered the largest decrease in violent crime in American history,” a White House spokesperson said. “Unlike Defund-the-Police Democrats, President Trump will always stand with our law enforcement officers and deliver safer American neighborhoods.”