Dr. John Lott talked to George Noory on his national radio show for two hours about crime, gun control, and public safety. He also answered the audience’s crime and gun-violence-related questions. They discussed information that was in Lott’s piece in the New York Post titled: “At the New York Post: DC is murder-free thanks to Trump — but his haters won’t accept reality.”
From the write-up at Coast to Coast AM.
In the first half, John R. Lott, author of “More Guns, Less Crime,” addressed issues related to crime, gun control, and public safety in cities such as Washington, DC, and Chicago, and the impact of law enforcement presence and prosecution policies. Highlighting DC’s high murder rate, he claimed it is “434% higher than the average for the other states.” He praised the deployment of the National Guard and federal law enforcement in the capital, saying President Trump’s addition of “another 500 federal law enforcement” officers and “another 800 National Guards” effectively doubled street patrols, contributing to a significant drop in crime. Lott cited that DC recently experienced “13 days without a homicide,” a rare event given the city’s usual rates.
Lott discussed reforms easing concealed carry permit processes in DC, reducing wait times from six to eight months to just two weeks, which he argues supports self-defense and crime reduction. He linked rising crime to police force reductions, citing Chicago’s cut of 400 officers in 2020 and DC being “800 officers below” its target. Critical of California’s plan to ban semi-automatic handguns, he commented that “about 85%” of guns are semi-automatics, and these are crucial for self-defense, especially against multiple attackers. He described how regulatory hurdles have already drastically limited handgun availability in the state.
On the psychology and prevention of mass shootings, he suggested that many perpetrators are suicidal and seek media attention, and thus he advocates for reducing media coverage and increasing armed presence in vulnerable locations, including schools, to deter attackers. Illustrating the benefits of armed civilians, Lott recounted a recent Michigan Walmart stabbing where a concealed carry permit holder stopped the attacker without injury, contrasting it with a 2019 El Paso shooting where no one intervened.
The Coast to Coast AM national radio show is heard weekly by 7.75 million people. Here is a list of Dr. Lott’s past long-form appearances on Coast to Coast.
(Monday, August 25, 2025)
