Trump Paints Minnesota As Lawless, But Federal Safety Data Tells A Much Different Story

MINNEAPOLIS–ST. PAUL, MN — President Donald Trump recently described Minnesota as a place overrun by violent criminals, asking in a post whether residents “really want to live” among “murderers, drug dealers, rapists,” and other dangerous offenders.

The remarks came amid a federal enforcement surge that has brought roughly 3,000 ICE agents into the state. National safety data, however, does not support Trump’s depiction of Minnesota as lawless or collapsing.

Using data from the FBI and other federal agencies, WalletHub’s 2026 “Safest Cities in America” study put Minneapolis ahead of many major U.S. cities, including Denver, Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and New Orleans.

At the state level, the contrast with Trump’s depiction is even sharper, with Minnesota ranked as the No. 8 safest state overall nationwide.

Other studies back up WalletHub’s findings. An analysis of crime data compiled by USAFacts, for example, shows Minnesota’s violent and property crime rates both below the national average in 2024, a year when crime nationwide fell to its lowest levels in decades.

That data places Minnesota far from the states with the highest crime rates, which were concentrated largely in parts of the West and South.

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