Trump Revives ‘Defund the Police’ Attacks Despite Data Showing Widespread Defunding Never Occurred
Former President Donald Trump delivered an address at the Nassau County Police Academy on August 14, 2026, where he cited recent declines in federal crime data, including a 75-year low in the national homicide rate, while simultaneously accusing Democratic officials of advocating for police defunding. This assertion, however, stands in contrast to an analysis by Fordham University law professor John Pfaff, who concluded that widespread police defunding did not occur at aggregate state or national levels, notwithstanding some temporary, localized budget reallocations.