Bill Maher told his audience on Friday that President Trump’s tough approach helped cause a steep drop in crime. The comedian made these remarks during a segment on his show, “Real Time with Bill Maher”. He argued that the President’s image as a “f–k around and find out president” sent a clear message to criminals.
From June 2025 through May 2026, violent crime dropped by almost 10 percentage points according to reports. This decline continued a trend that started after the pandemic in 2022. Maher said it is “childish to pretend” that the President’s methods had no effect on crime rates.
The host noted that “Good news stories get buried” because they are “tainted by cooperation” between parties. He pointed out that the drop includes drug crime and other offenses. Maher believes the public is not seeing the full story about why things are safer.
Maher credited multiple factors for the safety improvements seen across the country. He said Democrats helped by making Narcan more available to save lives from overdoses. He also praised the Trump administration for closing the border and stopping illegal drugs.
“We found something better, Narcan, and Democrats fast-tracked it,” Maher said about the drop in deaths. He added that law enforcement worked hard to disrupt supply chains and remove gang members. The comedian noted that “it’s not just drug crime that’s way down; it’s all crime that’s down”.
He also pointed to technology as a major reason criminals feel watched. Maher joked that people cannot move two inches without being tracked by a “Flock camera”. He said this constant monitoring makes it hard for bad actors to operate without getting caught.
The host admitted he disagrees with some of the methods used to deport people. He specifically mentioned sending individuals to countries “where they have absolutely no connection”. Despite this disagreement, he insisted the results speak for themselves regarding public safety.
“I think the bad guys got the message,” Maher said about the President’s style. He referenced the UFC fights held on the White House lawn as part of the Fourth of July events. These actions, he argued, showed a “no more Mr. Nice Guy” attitude to the world.
RedState reported that Maher is one of the few old-school liberals who still looks at facts. The outlet noted that he gave credit where it was due despite his usual political leanings. Washington Examiner coverage confirmed his comments on the bipartisan nature of the crime drop.
Violent crime rates have fallen significantly since the start of the post-pandemic period. Maher believes the combination of strict borders and better medical aid created this positive shift. He said Democrats and Republicans stumbled upon this change by not actually working together.
