On Thursday’s broadcast of CNN’s “The Situation Room,” CNN national correspondent John King reacts to 2024 Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump’s attendance at a vigil for a slain NYPD police officer. “There is a disconnect between crime statistics and property crimes,” he said. Nationally, vehicle thefts are up, “most violent crimes are down,” and “statistics show that crime is in a better place now than it was a few years ago. Some of them are very shocking, Wolf, and they upset people, they stir up fear, and Trump wants to turn that into votes.”
Host Wolf Blitzer said, “John, as we reported, a third former president, Donald Trump, was also in New York today at a vigil for an NYPD officer who was shot and killed during a traffic stop. Mr. Trump isn’t necessarily known for this kind of look. So why is he doing this now?”
Dr. King responded, “Because crime and immigration are at the center of what President Trump says he wants to change. He wants to change because he’s angry about the border and angry about crime.” Now, if you look at the crime statistics, most violent crimes are down nationally, and if you look at the New York City Police Department statistics, most violent crimes are down, but property crimes are up, and auto theft is down. Increased has. Many shocking crimes, such as police officers being killed in the line of duty, have occurred and are attracting a lot of attention on television. So this is one place where there is a disconnect between crime statistics and voters’ perceptions of crime. And that could be a key issue in the suburbs, a key issue for floating voters, a key issue in places where Trump has to win. Therefore, it is an issue that he wants to highlight. Again, statistics show that crime is better now than it was a few years ago. But some of these crimes are so shocking, Wolf, that they upset people, they stir up fear, and Trump wants to turn that into votes. ”
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