Trump, Patel Announce Historic Success Under Operation Summer Heat
FBI Director Kash Patel said the first seven months of the Trump administration’s Operation Summer Heat have produced the best crime-fighting numbers in the nation’s history.
President Donald Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Patel detailed the results of the federal initiative during a White House press conference on Wednesday afternoon.
“Since the start of the administration, the FBI has arrested over 23,000 violent criminals,” Trump said.
He noted that the total was more than double the number of arrests during the final year of the Biden administration.
“The FBI has also destroyed or severely disrupted more than 170 organized criminal enterprises and gangs, 1,600 of the most violent gangs, and confiscated more than 6,000 illegal firearms,” Trump said.
The president said the bureau has arrested four of the 10 most wanted criminals in the United States, including two of the most wanted criminals in the world.
Trump said there is still more work to be done and suggested adding San Francisco to the list of cities where federal agencies will increase operations.
“These are great cities that could be fixed,” Trump said. “I’m going to be strongly recommending we start looking at San Francisco. I think we can make San Francisco one of our great cities. It’s a mess, and we have great support in San Francisco.”
He said every American deserves to live without fear.
“Every American deserves to live in a community where they’re not afraid of being mugged, murdered, robbed, raped, assaulted, or shot,” the president said.
.@FBIDirectorKash issues remarks on the success of Operation Summer Heat:
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) October 15, 2025
-8700 arrests of violent criminals
-2200 firearms seized
-421 kilograms of fentanyl seized
-2100 indictments pic.twitter.com/tC1CLpRzRJ
Patel said Operation Summer Heat resulted in 8,700 violent criminal arrests, the seizure of 2,200 firearms, 421 kilograms of fentanyl, and 45,000 kilograms of cocaine over three months.
He said the amount of fentanyl seized was enough to kill more than 5,500 people.
The operation secured 2,100 criminal indictments between June and September, Patel said.
“That in and of itself would be historic for a four-year presidency,” Patel told Trump. “You did that in seven months because you let good cops be cops, and you partnered us with the right people in the Department of Justice.”
Patel compared the first seven months of the administration, with 28,600 arrests of violent criminals, to the annual totals under the previous administration, which he said averaged between 15,000 and 17,000.
Bondi credited Trump with removing restrictions on law enforcement so they could do their jobs.
🚨 BREAKING: President Trump just announced he will be SURGING federal agents into San Francisco to clean up crime
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) October 15, 2025
LONG overdue!
Gavin Newscum is gonna throw a FIT 🤣 pic.twitter.com/JIOi2d9irI
🚨 BREAKING: President Trump just announced he will be SURGING federal agents into San Francisco to clean up crime
LONG overdue!
Gavin Newscum is gonna throw a FIT 🤣 pic.twitter.com/JIOi2d9irI
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) October 15, 2025
“That’s why all of this is happening,” Bondi said.
She added that FBI staff were “working around the clock,” often at great personal sacrifice.
“They have families and small children at home but are working non-stop to keep the country and world safe,” Bondi said.
Bondi thanked Patel and FBI Deputy Director Andrew Bailey for leading the agency’s success.
She highlighted a recent federal law enforcement operation in Memphis as an example of the effort’s impact.
“In one night, they made nearly 70 arrests, seized a dozen guns, and arrested a 70-year-old man suspected of raping a child under the age of 3,” Bondi said.
“That one case makes everything we are doing worthwhile,” she added.
A reporter asked Trump why the military was being used to target drug smugglers on boats instead of the Coast Guard.
Trump said the smugglers use high-speed vessels that the Coast Guard cannot intercept.
“Some of these boats are world-class speedboats, but they’re not faster than missiles,” Trump said.
He said his administration remains focused on ensuring every American lives in safety.
