For years, Democrats have downplayed the crime crisis, insisting it was exaggerated, even as ordinary Americans felt unsafe in their own neighborhoods. But now the numbers tell a devastating story for the left. An AP-NORC poll shows that a staggering 81 percent of Americans view crime as a “major issue.” That includes 96 percent of Republicans, 72 percent of independents, and even 68 percent of Democrats. Across the board, the nation is demanding action.

And action is exactly what President Trump has delivered. His decision to send the National Guard into Washington, D.C. — once one of the most dangerous cities in the country — produced immediate results. Carjackings plummeted, robberies fell dramatically, and the city went nearly two weeks without a single homicide, something that hasn’t happened in decades. For ordinary Americans living in fear, the turnaround was nothing short of historic.

The response? Trump’s approval rating surged five points in the past month, reaching its highest level ever in this poll. A majority of Americans — 53 percent — now approve of his approach to combating crime, cementing law and order as one of the signature strengths of his presidency.

Democrats, however, seem determined to live in denial. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker mocked Trump’s focus on safety, bizarrely boasting that he lived “rent-free” in Trump’s head. Rep. Jamie Raskin dismissed crime as something that has “always been part of our history,” as if that excused today’s violence. And at the DNC’s summer meeting, a progressive activist went so far as to claim Americans “don’t care about carjacking,” a comment that drew outrage from victims and observers alike.

The gap between Democratic rhetoric and American reality could not be wider. While families worry about being mugged, carjacked, or worse, the left’s leaders wave it away as unimportant. Meanwhile, Trump is delivering results people can see and feel in their daily lives.

This dynamic sets the stage for the midterm elections in 2026. Democrats appear determined to double down on failed policies, while Republicans are positioning themselves as the party of safety, order, and common sense. If the poll numbers are any indication, the Democrats’ refusal to wake up could cost them dearly, not just in 2026, but in the political battles leading up to 2028.

At a Cabinet meeting this week, reporter Iris Tao recounted being mugged and pistol-whipped in broad daylight in D.C. Her story underscored the urgency of the crisis and the success of Trump’s intervention. For many Americans, it was proof that decisive leadership works — and that the days of endless excuses from the left are over.

The message from the American people is clear: crime is out of control, Trump is fixing it, and Democrats are being left behind. If the left keeps ignoring reality, voters won’t hesitate to deliver a brutal verdict at the ballot box.