President Donald Trump was visiting Israel on his landmark Middle East Peace mission. On his way back, President Trump pulled his focus back to domestic politics.
However, even after achieving success with the Israel-Gaza conflict, he was still talking about massive crowds and Chicago crime rates.
He even defended his stance to deploy National Guard Troops. His administration is now seeking domestic victories just as foreign ones.
The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas is now official.
Here’s the timeline for how it’ll proceed (per AP): pic.twitter.com/WjXB00KatS
— Charlotte Clymer 🇺🇦 (@cmclymer) January 15, 2025
While talking to the media aboard Air Force One, Trump talked about his strong public reception. He claimed that he had visited the Bronx, and he drew 31,000 people in a city park. He claimed that his audience was friendly and very diverse.
Trump then segued into talking about Chicago crime statistics. He then compared it to the condition abroad.
He compared Chicago with Egypt and talked about how people can walk freely in a park in Egypt without any fear, but cannot do so in Chicago.
“There were 4,000 shootings … murders … over a fairly short period of time”.
He also added that Chicago’s murder and shooting rates were evidence of how local leadership has failed people and how lax crime control was.
Trump had earlier tried to dispatch National Guard troops to Illinois; however, his move was blocked by a federal judge. Trump wanted national troops to be deployed for street patrols. An appeals court later permitted them to remain under federal control with restricted engagement in city policing.
There was a peace accord signed between Israel and Hamas, according to which hostages were exchanged as part of an initial phase. Trump received a warm welcome when he landed in Israel and met with Israeli leaders. He also spoke at the Knesset and called for “peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East.”
Trump later visited Egypt, where he attended a summit of nearly 30 world leaders to advance the peace agenda.
Even though Trump has cited high crime in Chicago as proof of failed governance, official statistics do not support his narrative. In 2024, there were approximately 500 gun-related deaths and 2,225 nonfatal shootings in Chicago. These figures are definitely serious, yet they represent a decrease in the numbers from prior years.
The Chicago mayor’s office has also released data showing a 33% drop in murders and a 38% decline in shootings. All this in the first half of 2025.
Critics have again accused Trump of exaggerating crowd size and crime for political effect. For instance, the New York Post and other outlets have estimated his Bronx rally turnout far lower than the 31,000 claimed.
As his supporters have been celebrating the Middle East’s progress, his opponents are debunking his false claims and narratives. In the weeks ahead, the accuracy of Trump’s comparisons, from Bronx crowds to Chicago crime, will remain focal points in how his political posture is received.
