President Donald Trump has thrown his support behind Flock cameras, despite a growing number of communities across the country rejecting the automatic license plate readers over privacy and safety concerns. Trump was asked about Flock’s network of AI cameras as he spoke to reporters on the return journey Sunday from his Ireland trip. Law enforcement agencies in every state, apart from Alaska, are using the technology to scan license plates and compare to criminal databases.
While the cameras have helped catch criminals, reports have also emerged of law enforcement officers using the system to stalk partners or exes. A lot of law enforcement say they really help them, would you be willing to back that?” a reporter asked Trump on Air Force One. They think it’s an infringement.” “They help catch a lot of criminals,” the reporter said.
Trump then added: “But I like them.” Flock cameras have caused widespread disquiet among communities. A database, released by the nonprofit Institute for Justice, revealed that over 200 local governments across the U.S. have canceled or failed to renew their automatic license plate recognition contracts since the start of 2025. Flock CEO Garrett Langley has responded to the criticism and told Fox News’ “Saturday in America” co-host Kayleigh McEnany last month that the technology is vital for safety.
"When people talk about just one of these, privacy or safety, they're prioritizing the wrong thing, and what we have to prioritize as a country is compromise," Langley said. "How do we have our safety, and how do we balance privacy?" The distrust of the surveillance cameras has become so rampant that politicians on both sides of the aisle have lodged complaints against the company. Last month, Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis said he didn’t “want to have this become a surveillance state.” In the weeks since, Florida’s state transportation office banned license plate readers, including Flock cameras, from being installed on state highways, according to .
Some politicians have used the subject of Flock cameras as a talking point ahead of midterm elections. Ohio Democrat Kristina Knickerbocker said that her opponent, Republican Mike Turner, “pushed for more Flock cameras in downtown Dayton,” according to Axios. Chaz Molder, Democratic nominee in Tennessee’s 5th District, also argued against the use of Flock cameras.
Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for Senate in Michigan, shared a video on X linking his Republican opponent, former Representative Mike Rogers, to Flock cameras. "There's been this mass proliferation of Flock cameras, any and everywhere, watching your every move to collect information without you even noticing," he said, as the song “Somebody’s Watching Me” plays. Flock, which is based in Atlanta, Georgia, has been under fire since reports of widespread misuse of the cameras by law enforcement officers.
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