Trump campaigns for Michael Whatley in North Carolina Senate race

North Carolina Senate race Michael Whatley Roy Cooper Donald Trump campaign crime and law enforcement

Donald Trump held a campaign rally in Gastonia, North Carolina, to support Republican Senate nominee Michael Whatley in his contest against Democrat Roy Cooper. During the event, Trump focused heavily on a law-and-order platform, accusing Cooper of being a ‘murderer-protector’ and blaming him for rising crime rates and the release of dangerous criminals.

Trump specifically cited the case of DeCarlos Brown Jr., who was accused of killing a Ukrainian refugee, claiming Cooper allowed him to be released prematurely. However, the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction stated that Brown served his full minimum sentence and was not released early. Additionally, while Trump described North Carolina as one of the most violent states, state data indicates that violent crime fell by 4.3% in 2024.

During the rally, Trump also made a controversial remark about withholding FEMA disaster relief from the state if Whatley loses the election, though he quickly added that he was ‘only kidding.’ The race remains highly competitive, with recent polling from High Point University showing Cooper leading Whatley by 5 percentage points.

Entities

Donald Trump · Gastonia · Michael Whatley · North Carolina · Republican National Committee · Roy Cooper

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 2 SOURCES] Statewide violent crime in North Carolina fell by 4.3% in 2024, with the murder rate declining by 9.2%. newsfactsnetwork.com · www.world-today-news.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] Donald Trump joked that he would withhold FEMA disaster relief from North Carolina if Michael Whatley lost the Senate race. www.joemygod.com
[DISPUTED] Donald Trump accused Roy Cooper of releasing DeCarlos Brown Jr. and 3,500 other criminals. newsfactsnetwork.com · nypost.com
[● 2 SOURCES] U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche appeared at a partisan political rally in support of the Republican campaign. www.nbcnews.com
[DISPUTED] The North Carolina Department of Adult Correction stated that DeCarlos Brown Jr. was not released early and served his full minimum sentence. newsfactsnetwork.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] A High Point University poll showed Roy Cooper leading Michael Whatley by 5 percentage points. time.news
[○ 1 SOURCE] Republican Senate nominee Michael Whatley accused Roy Cooper of being responsible for the release of criminals. www.breitbart.com
[● 2 SOURCES] Donald Trump claimed that voting for Roy Cooper would allow criminals to be released to harm the population. www.world-today-news.com