Former President Donald Trump has established connections with organized labor in a manner that is uncommon for Republicans, resulting in a significant endorsement. The National Fraternal Order of Police, the largest police union in the nation, which represents approximately 378,000 law enforcement officers across the United States, has expressed its support for the former president.
“Public safety and border security will be important issues in the last months of this campaign,” Patrick Yoes, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police, said in a press release. “Our members carefully considered the positions of the candidates on the issues and there was no doubt—zero doubt—as to who they want as our President for the next four years: Donald J. Trump.”
“The FOP’s endorsement process is unique in that every member has the opportunity, through our 46 State Lodges, to make their choice known to the National Trustee. Once informed by the membership as to their choice, the National Trustee casts his or her vote at our National Board meeting. In order to secure our endorsement, the candidate needs the support of two-thirds of the State Lodges, a benchmark former President Trump easily cleared,” the press release said.
“During his first term, President Trump made it clear he supported law enforcement and border security,” the union’s president said. “In the summer of 2020, he stood with us when very few would. With his help, we defeated the ‘defund the police’ movement and, finally, we are seeing crime rates decrease. If we want to maintain these lower crime rates, we must re-elect Donald Trump.”
“Though this election was highly unusual, the FOP considered the two 2024 presidential candidates’ records—including President Trump’s responses to the FOP’s questionnaire, as well as a letter from the Harris-Walz campaign describing some of their positions on criminal justice and police labor issues. An FOP committee met personally with former President Trump, but no similar meeting was granted by the Harris-Walz campaign. This information was provided to the more than 377,000 members of the FOP so they could make their own decision in this election,” the organization said.
“As the nation’s oldest and largest law enforcement labor organization, the FOP’s presidential endorsement is one of the most sought-after endorsements by candidates running for the presidency,” the union president said. “The FOP is the number one voice of America’s law enforcement. We have a responsibility to our members, to the 700,000 sworn law enforcement officers in the United States, and to the communities they serve to do our part in determining the direction in which our country will head.”
“In every election cycle, the FOP pays close attention to which presidential campaign highlights the issues most vital to the men and women of the FOP, including the challenges faced by the rank-and-file law enforcement officers, the real issues in public safety, and the problems in our criminal justice system. The FOP has endorsed candidates—from both parties—that our members believe have made the men and women of law enforcement a priority: George H. W. Bush (1992); William J. Clinton (1996); George W. Bush (2000, 2004); John S. McCain III (2008); Donald J. Trump (2016, 2020). In 2012, the FOP voted not to endorse a candidate,” the organization said.
“The National FOP endorsed Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020. He led our nation through some very tough times,” the union president said. “He provided our nation with strong, effective leadership during his first term, and now that he is seeking election to a second term, we intend to help him win it.”
