Homicide rates plunging in Trump's "hellhole" cities
According to new data from the Major Cities Chiefs Association, homicide rates dropped significantly across major U.S. cities during the first nine months of 2025, with an overall decline of 19% compared to the same period in 2024 and drops exceeding 40% in cities like Buffalo, Denver, Orlando, and Seattle. The trend directly contradicts President Trump's characterization of cities like Chicago, Portland, Memphis, and Baltimore as dangerous "hellholes" warranting National Guard deployments — Chicago actually led the nation with a 22.1% drop in overall violent crime, while Portland saw a 39% decline in homicides and Baltimore recorded the country's fifth-largest decrease in violent crime. The data suggests that the reality of crime in these cities is starkly at odds with the administration's stated justification for sending federal troops.