During an appearance on HBO’s Real Time Friday night, New York Times opinion writer and Duke University journalism professor Frank Bruni acknowledged that President Donald Trump is addressing a real and pressing issue: rising urban crime. Bruni conceded that crime levels in major cities—including Washington, D.C.—are too high, and that Trump is “putting his finger on a problem that people rightly care about.”
Bruni criticized Trump’s tactics as “overzealous” and “performative,” but admitted the issue resonates with voters. While he dismissed the idea that Trump’s actions in D.C. could be judged after only one week, Bruni called the move “an act of political genius” for highlighting the Democrats’ vulnerability on public safety.
“There is too much urban crime,” Bruni said. “It is true that we have too much of it in Washington, D.C.” He argued that while Trump’s method may be flawed, Democrats have failed to craft a message that reassures the public they are serious about crime prevention. “They have to figure out how to say something about it without seeming to be soft on crime,” Bruni said, adding that Democrats have not been “dexterous with this stuff lately.”
Trump recently invoked federal control over the D.C. police under the District of Columbia Home Rule Act and deployed the National Guard to combat violence. His administration has also taken broader actions to enforce law and order in major cities, a move that continues to gain traction with suburban and urban voters frustrated by rising crime rates.
Bruni’s remarks reflect growing concern—even among left-leaning voices—that the Democratic Party’s stance on crime is politically damaging and out of step with public sentiment.
