Trump defends Minneapolis federal enforcement, says crime plunged after ‘thousands of criminals’ removed

President Donald Trump is defending federal law enforcement efforts in Minneapolis, saying crime has fallen sharply after what he described as the removal of "thousands of criminals" from the city.

In an interview with NBC News’ Tom Llamas that aired Sunday, Trump said crime in Minneapolis is down as much as 30%, attributing the decline to tougher enforcement.

"The crime numbers in Minnesota, in Minneapolis in particular, are down 25, 30% because we've removed thousands of criminals from the area," Trump said.