At a pre-inauguration rally, former President Trump revisited a heated exchange with ABC News anchor David Muir concerning U.S. crime rates, originating from a September presidential debate.

Trump highlighted the "countless victims" of crime, asserting a rise in criminal activity irrespective of illegal immigration. He recounted Muir's fact-check during his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, where Muir disputed Trump's claim of escalating crime.

Trump quoted the exchange, emphasizing his insistence on rising crime levels while Muir countered his assertions. Trump then pointed to subsequent reports indicating a significant crime increase, seemingly validating his initial claim.

During the debate, Muir, co-moderating with Linsey Davis, cited FBI data suggesting a decline in overall violent crime, a claim Trump refuted, alleging manipulation of statistics by excluding data from high-crime cities.

Recent Department of Justice data indicates a downward trend in violent crime following a pandemic-related surge in 2021. Preliminary FBI data for 2024 also suggests a considerable decrease in violent crime. However, the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), based on interviews with U.S. residents, reported a substantial increase in total violent crimes between 2020 and 2023.

While ABC News didn't immediately report an increase in crime, an FBI revision a month after the debate, revealing a significant rise in violent crime in 2022, appeared to support Trump's initial statements. Muir did not address this revision on his program. Trump has consistently criticized Muir for fact-checking him during the debate while not similarly challenging Harris.

Trump recounted further instances where he felt unfairly scrutinized by Muir while Harris's statements went unchallenged. He reiterated his belief that Muir's fact-check regarding crime was inaccurate.