GIFFORDS ahead of SOTU: Trump has made America less safe, falsely claims credit for decreases in crime

WASHINGTON — GIFFORDS, the national gun violence prevention organization led by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, released the following statement ahead of the State of the Union. Despite President Trump taking credit for decreases in crime, the president has systematically undermined gun violence prevention efforts over his time in office and made it easier for criminals to access guns and used federal law enforcement to further endanger communities. Crime across the country began falling in 2022, years before President Trump returned to office, in part because of investments and changes from the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act passed in 2022.

“Tonight, you will hear President Trump try to take credit for falling crime – but the reality is that crime began falling in 2022, the year the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act was signed into law. In his first year back in office, Trump has made Americans less safe and has done nothing to address gun crime and gun violence, the number one killer of kids and teens in our country,” said GIFFORDS Executive Director Emma Brown. “President Trump has made it easier for dangerous people to get their hands on guns, period. He effectively legalized machine guns and diverted resources meant to fight gun crime to fund violent, indiscriminate immigration operations. He canceled funding to critical community violence intervention programs and slashed $1 billion in school mental health resources. President Trump works to enrich his gun industry CEOs campaign donors, not keeping kids safe.”

Despite major mass shootings in 2025, including at Annunciation Church, Brown University, Stockton California, Midtown Manhattan, and many others, the Trump administration has refused to act. Instead, it has stripped the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) of thousands of staff members, making gun crime harder to solve. The president’s Department of Justice also removed more than $300 million in community violence intervention funding and made it significantly harder for community programs to secure future grants. Additionally, the so-called ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ gave gun industry CEOs a tax break by removing taxes on deadly silencers. CDC and HHS gun violence prevention programs and research were also slashed. 

These are only a few of his most dangerous moves. Click HERE for a comprehensive report on Trump’s disastrous gun violence record.