For years, crime has remained one of the most powerful and politically divisive issues in the United States. Whether it is concerns about urban violence, property theft, or public safety in general, voters consistently say that crime ranks high on their list of national worries. Recent analysis from CNN’s senior data reporter Harry Enten, along with polling from outlets like YouGov, AP-NORC, and Vox’s review of long-term data, highlights a clear trend: Americans now trust President Donald Trump far more than former President Joe Biden and the Democratic Party when it comes to handling crime.
This isn’t a marginal or temporary difference. Republicans have enjoyed a steady advantage on the crime issue for several years, with Trump personally reaping political benefits as Democrats struggle to find a message that resonates with voters. Understanding why this gap exists—and what it means for the political future of both parties—requires looking closely at polling, public perception, and how each side has framed crime in recent years.
Public Concern About Crime Remains High
According to polling conducted in 2025, a strong majority of Americans continue to describe crime in U.S. cities as a “major problem.” A YouGov survey in May 2025 found that 67% of respondents agreed with that statement, showing that concern remains widespread across regions, demographics, and political affiliations.
An AP-NORC poll taken earlier also confirmed this sentiment. It found that 81% of Americans overall viewed crime in large cities as a major issue, including a majority of Democrats, independents, and Republicans alike.
Even though nationwide statistics sometimes show long-term declines in certain categories of violent crime, public perception is shaped more by high-profile incidents, media coverage, and lived experiences in communities. As Harry Enten and other analysts point out, this means the gap between official statistics and public sentiment often favors “tough on crime” political messaging.
Republicans Hold a Long-Standing Advantage
While concern about crime is bipartisan, trust in which party can handle it better is not. For years, Republicans have consistently outperformed Democrats when voters are asked which party they trust more on the issue.
Vox’s review of polling data shows that since at least 2022, Republicans have maintained a 12–13 point advantage over Democrats on crime. This advantage has persisted even as other political issues—like the economy, health care, or immigration—have shifted in importance or partisan balance.
Harry Enten emphasized this advantage in his CNN analysis, noting that Trump himself has improved his standing on crime compared to where he was during his first term. While exact approval numbers vary depending on the poll and methodology, the overall trajectory is clear: Trump is no longer viewed as “weak” on crime by most Americans, and instead has turned the issue into one of his political strengths.
Why Trump Benefits Politically
There are several reasons why Trump benefits more than Biden when crime becomes a top issue:
-
Perception of Action
-
Trump frequently positions himself as willing to take bold, even controversial, steps to address crime. Voters often reward the perception of toughness over concerns about legality or fairness.
-
His recent actions in Washington, D.C., where the federal government under his leadership expanded its role in anti-crime operations, reinforced this narrative.
-
-
Frustration with Democratic Messaging
-
Democrats often highlight national statistics showing declines in violent crime, but this message can clash with voters’ lived experiences. As MSNBC commentator Chris Matthews warned, telling people that “violent crime is down” while they see or hear about murders in their communities risks sounding out of touch.
-
This leaves Democrats vulnerable to criticism that they are minimizing or ignoring genuine public concerns.
-
-
Partisan Association
-
Crime has historically been an issue where voters lean toward Republicans, in part due to decades of political framing dating back to the 1970s and 1980s. Trump benefits from this legacy advantage, while Democrats carry the burden of being perceived as softer or less effective on public safety.
-
How Biden and Democrats Are Losing Ground
President Biden and his party have struggled to establish a crime message that resonates with the electorate. While Biden has backed funding for local police departments and called for more resources for community safety, his administration’s efforts have often been overshadowed by broader narratives that Democrats are weak on crime.
Polling backs this up: in multiple surveys, Democrats trail Republicans significantly when voters are asked who they trust more on handling urban violence, public safety, and law enforcement. Even among independents—a crucial voting bloc—the GOP holds a commanding lead.
This weakness is compounded by internal divisions within the Democratic Party. Progressive activists often push for reforms aimed at reducing incarceration, addressing systemic racism, or reallocating police funding toward social programs. While these goals resonate with some voters, they conflict with the “law and order” emphasis that most Americans appear to prefer. The result is mixed messaging that fails to reassure those most concerned about crime.
Enten’s Warning to Democrats
Harry Enten’s analysis is particularly striking because it comes not from a partisan operative but from a data journalist known for carefully parsing polling trends. His central point is that Democrats underestimate just how hawkish the American public is on crime.
Enten observed that while Trump once struggled on the issue, his standing has improved dramatically. The data show that Americans are far more likely to say they trust Trump now than they did when he was first president, suggesting that his messaging and actions have resonated in ways that Biden’s have not.
Enten’s takeaway is clear: if Democrats continue to minimize or downplay concerns about urban crime, they will pay a political price, particularly in swing states and competitive districts where public safety is a top concern.
The Broader Implications
The crime debate also ties into other major political issues. Concerns about border security, illegal immigration, and homelessness often overlap with crime in the public imagination. When voters see images of migrant encampments, property theft, or assaults in major cities, they are more likely to connect these problems with broader frustrations about government competence.
Trump’s willingness to use federal authority—sometimes aggressively—reinforces his image as a leader willing to act. Whether voters agree with every detail of his policies or not, the perception of decisiveness often outweighs the specifics.
For Democrats, this presents a significant challenge heading into the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential cycle. Unless they find a way to communicate effectively about public safety while addressing progressive concerns, they risk ceding the issue entirely to Republicans.
Conclusion
The numbers don’t lie: Americans are deeply concerned about crime, and they trust Donald Trump and Republicans more than Joe Biden and Democrats to address it. This is not simply a short-term polling quirk—it’s a long-standing trend reinforced by Harry Enten’s analysis and multiple national surveys.
For Trump, this dynamic is politically advantageous. Crime allows him to highlight his tough-on-crime persona and contrast it with Democratic divisions and mixed messaging. For Democrats, however, the issue remains a glaring weakness. Unless they can bridge the gap between progressive reform goals and voter demand for safety, they risk continuing to lose ground on one of the country’s most emotionally charged and politically decisive issues.
At its core, the crime debate is about more than statistics—it’s about trust, perception, and the visceral human desire for safety. Right now, Americans trust Trump to deliver that more than Biden. And unless something changes, that trust could shape the future of American politics for years to come.
