### Trump Advocates for "One Really Violent Day" to Curb Property Crime

At a campaign rally in Erie, Pa. on Sunday, former President Donald J. Trump proposed a controversial solution to what he perceives as a surge in property crime: "one really violent day." This suggestion is the latest instance of Trump's tendency to call for the use of executive power and force to restore order, despite recent FBI data reporting a decline in such crimes for 2023.

"One rough hour - and I mean real rough," Mr. Trump stated, adding, "The word will get out and it will end immediately." His comments echo a longstanding pattern of advocating for stricter law enforcement measures, including urging police to be rougher during arrests and even calling for the execution of shoplifters.

Steven Cheung, a spokesman for the Trump campaign, reiterated that Trump remains dedicated to law and order, defending the former president's insistence on enforcing existing laws. However, he avoided directly addressing the controversial nature of Trump's recent comments, which seemed to encourage violent measures rather than law enforcement.

Trump's remarks in Erie also criticized what he views as liberal policies that prevent police from effectively doing their job. Specifically, he referenced the 2014 criminal justice measure passed in California when Kamala Harris was the attorney general. Trump inaccurately generalized that this measure allows individuals to steal up to $950 without facing significant consequences, although shoplifting above this threshold remains a misdemeanor.

Interestingly, California's $950 felony threshold for shoplifting is among the stricter policies in the nation. States such as Texas, Alabama, and Mississippi, all led by Republicans, have even higher thresholds for felony charges. Trump's misleading representation of this policy and his call for drastic measures drew laughs from the crowd, particularly when he joked about "kids with calculators" tallying up thefts.

The former president's rhetoric painted a bleak picture of urban decay, suggesting that widespread shoplifting could lead to stores shuttering, unpaid rents, and financially drained cities. Concluding his speech, he argued that "one rough hour" would be sufficient to put an end to such a scenario, reinforcing his view that extreme measures are necessary to restore order.