Public safety has improved across the US because criminals have gotten the message from “badass” President Trump — a “f–k around and find out president,” talk host Bill Maher told his audience Friday.
Maher spoke about the reasons behind stunning drops in the national crime rate on his “Real Time with Bill Maher” on HBO – and gave at least some of the credit to the president’s macho image.
“It’s just childish to pretend that when you elect a “f— around and find out” president, a ‘no more Mr. Nice Guy-booting-your-ass-V-for-vendetta-kick-ass—and-take-names-say-hello-to-my-little-friend’ president, that’s not going to have some effect on crime,” Maher said to laughs from his studio audience.
In another one of his trademark mixed ideological takes, he praised Trump after also giving some credit to the left and bashing the surveillance state.
“It’s not just drug crime that’s way down – it’s all crime. And again, probably much of it is not political. It’s because you can’t move two inches in America without being tracked, photographed, and followed by a flock camera,” he quipped.
“But it’s also because when Democrats expand the safety net, there are less desperate people – and because Trump is a badass. No, I don’t agree with many of his methods, like how they sometimes just deport people to countries where they have absolutely no connection – like Meghan and Harry,” he said, giving the line a royal finish. Is doing it this way the right thing? No.”
Maher flashed an Atlantic magazine headline about the “Great Crime Decline” across the country, with violent crime dropping to the lowest level in 2025 since 1969, based on FBI data. It showed post-recession drops, and cited post-pandemic drops in big cities down to 1950s and 1960s levels.
FBI data show that the decline started in 2022 during the Biden administration and continued into Trump’s presidency.
The article Maher showed credits police methods in cities like Baltimore, low unemployment, and federal investments in state and local government beginning in the pandemic.
Maher concluded with a nod to Trump’s tough guy persona.
“He has UFC fights on the lawn. I think the bad guys got the message,” he said.
