Trump: NC is "one of the most violent" states
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President Trump and North Carolina Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley at the campaign rally on Wednesday night at Gastonia Municipal Airport. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
President Trump called North Carolina criminally dangerous and "one of the worst in the whole nation" while rallying for Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley in Gastonia on Wednesday night.
Why it matters: Whatley has framed himself as the tougher-on-crime candidate and an ally who would push Trump's agenda forward, despite the president's low approval ratings. So far, Whatley is lagging in the polls.
What he's saying: "North Carolina — it was beautiful. It was apple pie, and now it's one of the most violent," Trump said. "And it all started with Cooper," he added, referring to former Gov. Roy Cooper, Whatley's Democratic opponent.
Reality check: North Carolina had an estimated 309 violent crimes per 100,000 people in 2025, below the national violent crime rate of 327.6 per 100,000, according to a Newsweek analysis of FBI data.
- The White House said crime had fallen in North Carolina and Charlotte earlier in the day, citing data from North Carolina Department of Public Safety and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department in a press release. It attributed the change to the Trump administration.
