FBI Director Accuses Newsom of Misrepresenting Crime Data

The office of FBI Director Kash Patel has taken aim at California Governor Gavin Newsom, alleging that he is misrepresenting crime statistics to imply that Democratic policies have led to a decrease in the nation’s homicide rate.

This back-and-forth began when Patel posted a graph on X, suggesting that the U.S. homicide rate is anticipated to drop significantly and reach a 125-year low by 2026. He commented, “Leadership matters.”

Newsom responded by sharing an image of President Biden in the Oval Office, asserting, “This graph will end by the time you and Trump take office in 2025.”

He added, “Thank you, President Biden, for the historic drop in murder rates!”

The FBI quickly countered Newsom’s claims, emphasizing that the data indicates a decline in murders starting in 2025, coinciding with President Trump’s second year in office.

“Governor Newsom’s team is trying to spin data that is clearly incomprehensible,” said FBI spokesman Ben Williamson. “The Criminal Justice Council’s report, due out in January 2026 covering 2025, shows a historic decline in crime—not because of the policies he promoted but rather because those policies are being rolled back.”

According to research, major U.S. cities experienced a notable 21% drop in homicides in 2025 compared to the previous year, equating to 922 fewer murders across 35 cities surveyed.

When looking at a broader timeframe, the homicide rate in 2025 is approximately 25% lower than in 2019. During the peak of the pandemic in 2021, the homicide rate was 18.6 per 100,000 people, but by 2025, it is expected to be around 10.4, marking a significant 44% decrease.

This downward trend persisted throughout the year, with homicides falling by 18% in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, and by 24% in the second half.