President Donald Trump expressed his support for fellow Republican Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman in his race against Gov. Kathy Hochul — the Democratic incumbent seeking re-election in New York State — during a recent visit to Long Island.
Trump, accompanied by FBI Director and Garden City native Kash Patel; newly sworn-in US Attorney General Todd Blanche; and other local Republican officials, toured the Nassau County Police Academy Intelligence and Training Center on Friday, August 14.
As critics of the administration rallied abroad, officials highlighted the FBI’s 2025 Crime Report, which shows the largest year-over-year decline in violent crime on record.
“Hochul and the radical left are on the side of gang members, child predators and violent criminals,” Trump said. “We stand with hard-working New Yorkers and the great people of law enforcement.”
According to the FBI report, homicides and non-negligent manslaughters decreased by 18.1% (estimated); rapes, 7.6%; thefts, 18.5%; aggravated assaults, 7.2%; burglaries, 15.8%; thefts, 9.8%; and motor vehicle theft, 22.7%.
Trump began his speech by noting that the state is “going in the wrong direction” and stating that “we will get Bruce (Blakeman) into office.” The president called Blakeman his friend and a “great political leader,” while praising Nassau’s ranking as the safest county in the United States.
Trump went on to describe Hochul as a “crime nightmare” and sharply criticized his policies on eliminating cash bail, sanctuary cities and providing immigrants with lawyers. The president called Blakeman a man of “common sense” and asked him: “Bruce, how could you lose to (Hochul)?”
After speaking for about 40 minutes, Trump invited Blakeman to the stage, where the county executive passionately thanked the president for the country’s immigration control policies. Later, Trump invited other Republican congressmen and party candidates running for a seat in the House of Representatives in the November elections.
“Ladies and gentlemen of Nassau County, the golden age has arrived,” Trump declared.
Patel and Blanche took the stage before Trump’s hour-long speech, praising the president for his efforts fighting crime.
Patel stated that “the American dream is no longer a dream, it is a reality,” adding that the president and his administration have worked to reduce crime rates across the country. It highlighted a 20% decrease in homicides and a 20% reduction in fatal drug overdoses nationally.
Blanche praised the Trump administration, noting that 170,000 criminals have been formally charged under his presidency, 50,000 more than during the Biden administration in the same period. He also praised Blakeman, stating that the county executive is “doing everything we need him to do” to support law enforcement and ensure safety in Nassau.
“Donald Trump said it himself: He and Bruce Blakeman are united against Governor Hochul—holding rogue ICE agents accountable, putting money back into the pockets of New Yorkers at every opportunity, and investing billions to reduce crime—while Blakeman allowed crime to reach its highest levels in a decade,” Hochul campaign spokesman Ryan Radulovacki said Friday.
The presence of the Trump Administration in the region also sparked strong rejection, as various groups and protesters described the visit as a mere publicity stunt.
More than 100 Nassau County Democrats — including Adrienne Adams, former New York City Council speaker and candidate for lieutenant governor; State Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages (D-Elmont); State Senator Siela Bynoe (D-Westbury); and Nassau County Legislator Carrié Solages (D-Valley Stream)—gathered to protest Trump’s visit to the area.
Adams criticized the county executive for acting as Trump’s “most ardent cheerleader.” “Blakeman supports ICE’s aggressiveness, while Governor Hochul fights to ensure local law enforcement focuses on keeping all of our communities safe,” Adams said.
Adams and other elected officials stressed the importance of going to the polls in November, while other Trump critics condemned the former president’s agenda. “We will not tolerate fascism or corruption, and we will make sure we stand together in solidarity,” stated Assemblywoman Solages.
Protesters also pointed out the Trump administration’s actions on affordability, highlighting the direct relationship between the war in the Middle East and rising gas and food prices. “Government belongs to the people, not wealthy elites,” said the Rev. Ronald McHenry.
“You can’t say you’re putting America first when you’re putting working families last,” said Andrew Piddoubny, a Nassau County resident and Democratic candidate for state Senate in District 5.
Other community organizations—including New York Communities for Change, New York Immigration Coalition, Así Vamos-NY, Working Peoples’ Liberation Corps-Long Island, Long Island Progressive Coalition, PSL-Long Island, Islip Forward, National Day Laborer Organizing Network, Long Island Immigrant Justice Alliance, Long Island Language Advocates Coalition, Make the Road Action, and SEIU Local 1199—also gathered to protest just before Trump’s visit.
Blakeman behind in the polls
The visit comes as Blakeman trails Hochul by 10 percentage points in state polls, according to the most recent Siena University poll; However, the results indicate that Blakeman is only 8 points behind the governor in the southern suburbs of the state (“downstate suburbs”).
Trump has been a longtime supporter of Blakeman, whom he endorsed when Blakeman first ran for county executive in 2021. Blakeman entered the governor’s race a month after winning re-election last November with 55.6% of the vote, easily defeating Democratic Nassau County Rep. Seth Koslow.
The former president also endorsed Blakeman when U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-Schuylerville) withdrew from the primary in December, paving the way for Blakeman to become the Republican nominee in February.
Trump and Blakeman have also been seen together on several occasions, including during Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden, where both Republican politicians shared a box.
Blakeman’s policies as county executive have also followed Trump’s orders during his presidency; For example, Blakeman enacted the nation’s first mask ban following the COVID-19 pandemic in 2024, as well as banning transgender athletes from competing on women’s sports teams at county facilities.
Additionally, Blakeman facilitated Nassau County’s collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security, allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to help detain and deport local immigrants.
The state’s “Local Cops, Local Crimes Act,” included in the fiscal year 2026-27 budget and scheduled to go into effect on August 25, prevents law enforcement and correctional facilities from entering into agreements with ICE.
“The safety of New Yorkers is our top priority,” Hochul and state Attorney General Letitia James declared in a joint statement hours before Trump’s arrival. «That is why New York passed these laws, that is why we will enforce them and that is why we will continue to oppose excesses of federal authority. “Our job is to enforce the law, and that’s exactly what we plan to do.”
Part of Blakeman’s campaign for county executive focused on the area’s crime statistics, as the Republican touted Nassau as “the safest county in America.”
