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President Donald Trump plans to highlight his record on crime and safety during a visit to New York on Friday, pivoting to one of his strongest issues as he looks to boost Republicans in battleground races ahead of the November midterms.
Trump is visiting the Nassau County Police Academy in suburban Long Island, where the White House said he will release new FBI crime statistics showing a decrease in violent crime for 2025.
“President Trump promised to make America safe again and the data proves he has done just that,” White House spokesperson Lauren Bis said. “Unlike Defund-the-Police Democrats, President Trump will always stand with our law enforcement officers and deliver safer American neighborhoods.”
Trump’s visit is aimed at boosting Republican candidates in closely contested races across his home state, but just how much his presence will help is in question as he faces lagging approval ratings and a deeply unpopular war in Iran with no end in sight.
Trump narrowly won Nassau County in 2024, flipping it for Republicans for the first time in more than two decades. It’s home to two Democratic House seats that Republicans now see as winnable this fall, and it’s home turf for Nassau County executive Bruce Blakeman, the Trump-endorsed Republican challenging Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul.
In other developments:
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Luigi Mangione, the man accused of gunning down a health insurance executive, is due in federal court on Friday for a hearing where he is expected to plead guilty to stalking or similar charges. There is more on the story here.
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The battle over the Kennedy Center’s future escalated Thursday as President Donald Trump’s allies on the board took new steps to commemorate him with physical changes to the iconic performing arts institution that could defy a federal court order.
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The Pacific-based aircraft carrier USS George Washington began heading toward the Middle East, according to reports. This comes as Democratic lawmakers have demanded answers of about mental health crises and supply issues aboard the long-deployed USS Abraham Lincoln.
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White House deputy national security adviser Andy Baker is leaving the Trump administration in the coming weeks, Axios reported on Friday. The White House did not respond to a request for comment outside business hours. The report has not been independently verified.
Originally published on www.theguardian.com — View original