The nation’s oldest and largest police organization endorsed Donald Trump Friday, saying there is "zero doubt" they want him in the White House for a second term, while the former president blasted his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, as a "defunder" of law enforcement, and vowed to end "Kamala's crime wave" if elected.
Trump traveled to North Carolina Friday to speak at a meeting of the Fraternal Order of Police and accept their endorsement, calling it an "honor." The organization also endorsed Trump in 2016 and 2020.
"Public safety and border security will be important issues in the last months of this campaign," FOP National President Patrick Yoes said. "Our members carefully considered the positions of the candidates on the issues and there was no doubt—zero doubt—as to who they want as our President for the next four years: Donald J. Trump."
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Yoes said that during Trump’s first term, he "made it clear he supported law enforcement and border security."
"In the summer of 2020, he stood with us when very few would. With his help, we defeated the ‘defund the police’ movement and, finally, we are seeing crime rates decrease," he said. "If we want to maintain these lower crime rates, we must re-elect Donald Trump."
Yoes said FOP leadership met with Trump—but said a similar meeting was not offered by Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign.
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"As the nation’s oldest and largest law enforcement labor organization, the FOP’s presidential endorsement is one of the most sought-after endorsements by candidates running for the presidency," Yoes said. "The FOP is the number one voice of America’s law enforcement. We have a responsibility to our members, to the 800,000 sworn law enforcement officers in the United States, and to the communities they serve to do our part in determining the direction in which our country will head."
Yoes said Trump, during his first term, "provided our nation with strong, effective leadership."
"Now that he is seeking election to a second term, we intend to help him win it," Yoes said.
Trump touted the endorsement Friday afternoon during an event with members of the Fraternal Order of Police.
"It's an honor to be here. This is a big endorsement for me…It's an honor," Trump said. "I'm thrilled to be back with the incredible heroes and patriots of the Fraternal Order of Police, an incredible group and a group that's highly respected all over the country."
Trump added: "To all of the law enforcement men and women here today, I respect you so much. I admire you, and as your president, I will always back the blue as I did."
Trump blasted his opponent Vice President Kamala Harris as a "defunder."
"I back to blue more than any other. I was not a defunder like Kamala. She was a defunder. She was a ten year defunder. When you, when you want to defend for ten years, that's the end of that one," Trump said.
He joked: "I think I could leave right now, and you say there's no way that we're not voting for that guy."
"I consider you in this room to be America's finest," Trump said. "You're all over the country, all over from the country, all over the place. And, we really appreciate you being here."
Trump said law enforcement officers just want to "see our country, be safe and prosperous, and we want to love our country."
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"We know all about you and the great job that you do. And, the people of this country respect you greatly for it. So I just want to thank you on behalf of everybody," Trump said.
"Under the Harris regime, 99% of law abiding citizens suffer while criminals run free and our country is plagued into literally third world conditions. In many ways, we're a third world country, but we're going to clean that up real fast," Trump said. "I'm here today to declare that we do not have to live this way. And when I'm President of the United States, we are not going to take it anymore."
Trump said that there has been a 43% increase in violent crime since the Biden-Harris administration came into power, including a 58% increase in rape and an 89% increase in aggravated assault.
"And under Comrade Kamala, assaults on police officers are up a minimum of 32% and many of them are not reported. And if they are reported, they're not taken down. And shootings of our police officers are up by over 16%," Trump said. "The day I take office is the day that Kamala's crime wave comes to an end. It's a crime wave in our country. We've never seen anything like it."
