FBI’s Achievements and Reforms Under Trump’s Administration
On February 20, 2025, I was confirmed as the 9th Director of the FBI. A lot has happened since then. Under President Trump’s leadership, the FBI, alongside various partners, helped the United States experience one of its safest periods in decades.
During my confirmation hearing, I promised to realign the FBI’s mission toward fighting violent crime, safeguarding our homeland, enhancing transparency, and restoring public trust. Looking back now, it’s clear my team and I committed each day to making those promises a reality—achieving remarkable results.
From 2024 to 2025, the FBI saw a staggering 197% increase in arrests—from 34,000 to 67,000. We dismantled 1,800 gangs and criminal enterprises, which is a 210% rise. Investigators seized over 2,100 kilograms of dangerous fentanyl, enough to potentially harm 150 million Americans, marking a 31% increase. Our mission has expanded beyond borders as well; my trip to Beijing resulted in a crucial agreement to tackle the flow of fentanyl precursor chemicals, directly addressing a significant issue affecting American communities. Furthermore, arrests linked to violent extremism surged by 490%, with more than 6,200 child victims being identified, showing a 22% rise. Spy arrests also climbed by 35%, and we apprehended six of our most wanted fugitives—two more than were captured during the entire previous administration. This included criminals who had evaded capture for over five decades and contributed to a national murder rate drop of 20%, a record low for the last century.
President Trump provided the essential resources necessary for our success, enabling law enforcement to effectively do their jobs. The outcomes are hard to dispute.
However, the achievements of this administration and the FBI aren’t merely about numbers. There was a significant, albeit quieter, transformation within the department last year. Many Americans may not have seen this on the news, but it’s substantial.
From the onset, we redirected the FBI’s focus toward modern threats with four clear priorities: combating violent crime, protecting the homeland, enhancing public trust, and ensuring accountability. Previously, violent crime was barely mentioned among the FBI’s top ten concerns. Now, it is front and center, which is why we anticipate violent crime arrests will surpass 30,000 by 2025.
Shifting resources toward homeland defense allowed us to capture some of the world’s most wanted criminals, such as Mohammad Sharifullah, implicated in a suicide bombing in Kabul, and Zubair al-Bakush, connected to the Benghazi attack that claimed four American lives. We also disrupted three terrorist plots during the holiday season, preventing potential mass casualty incidents and allowing families to celebrate safely.
In our quest for transparency and oversight, we submitted over 40,000 pages of documentation to Congress in just the first year—more than double what was provided by the previous administration.
We curtailed the department’s reliance on an oversized Washington, D.C., bureaucracy, redirecting safety resources back to communities. This year, we’re relocating 1,000 agents from the capital to field offices nationwide and deploying an additional 1,000 intelligence and support personnel. Additionally, we opened a state-of-the-art training facility in Huntsville, Alabama, which includes a pioneering law enforcement versus drone training program.
We’ve revamped operations, so field offices no longer funnel through a single bottleneck at headquarters. Implementing regional structures has improved accountability and responsiveness. We eliminated ineffective units and personnel, restructuring leadership with a results-oriented focus.
The FBI is now leveraging technology to enhance efficiency and responsiveness. We established the Director’s Strategic Information Center to proactively identify threats and monitor incidents around the clock, greatly improving response times. A Technology Working Group is also in place, exploring how artificial intelligence and enhanced biometrics can fortify our national security.
Significantly, after years of delays, President Trump helped initiate an agreement to halt the Hoover Building project, canceling a costly venture—$5 billion taxpayer dollars—that wouldn’t have opened for about a decade. Instead, we opted to utilize the existing Ronald Reagan Building, saving resources and providing a modern headquarters for less expense.
Perhaps crucially, our field leaders prioritized collaboration with state and local law enforcement. Last year, we set up Homeland Security Task Forces, fostering partnerships that target violent crime. For instance, in Virginia, there were nearly 600 arrests in one month. We replicated this success in Memphis and Washington, D.C., where violent crime rates decreased by 30%, and homicides dropped by nearly 70% in D.C. and 50% in Memphis. We also established the Law Enforcement Partner Engagement Council, giving local law enforcement a consistent role in our operations.
By all measures, the Trump administration’s FBI marked an unprecedented year. Yet, the reforms we enacted surpass mere statistics and headlines. In conjunction with the Department of Justice, we’ve revitalized the FBI to better serve the American people and ensure the nation’s safety for years ahead.
Our focus remains steadfast on the mission.
