President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that federal law enforcement will now shift its focus to San Francisco, citing significant progress in fighting violent crime across the country. Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump praised the FBI for making over 23,000 arrests for violent crimes since he took office — more than double the number made during the final year of the Biden administration.
Trump highlighted the disruption of more than 170 criminal organizations, the targeting of 1,600 violent gangs, and the seizure of over 6,000 illegal firearms. “Every city in America deserves to be safe,” the president said, describing San Francisco as “a mess” and naming it the next priority for federal intervention, with hopes of restoring it as one of America’s great cities.
FBI Director Kash Patel detailed the success of “Operation Summer Heat,” a federal crackdown on violent offenders. Over a three-month period, the operation resulted in 8,700 arrests, the seizure of 2,200 firearms, and 421 kilograms of fentanyl — an amount capable of killing 55 million people. Patel stated that in total, the FBI has confiscated 1,900 kilograms of fentanyl this year alone.
Patel also compared the administration’s results to those under President Biden, noting annual violent felony arrests under the previous administration ranged between 15,000 to 17,000. In contrast, under Trump, over 28,000 arrests have occurred in just seven months. He also announced that 5,400 missing children have been recovered since January — a 30% increase — and that violent crimes against children and gang-related arrests have surged.
Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino added that the operation has yielded significant results in cities like New York, Seattle, and Tampa. He cited gang arrests, major drug busts, and fraud cases as examples of the FBI’s effectiveness, crediting collaboration with local law enforcement and federal agencies. Bongino reaffirmed the administration’s ongoing commitment to protecting American communities.