President Donald Trump has expressed his readiness to deploy the National Guard to Chicago to tackle crime, claiming that Democratic Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is unwilling to acknowledge the city’s issues.
Trump remarked during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, “He says, ‘We don’t need his help.’ Crime in D.C. was at its worst. We’ve worked tirelessly, taking down over a thousand offenders. He should be reaching out to me, asking, ‘Can you send in the troops?'”
Pritzker has called Trump’s plan to bring in the National Guard unconstitutional.
On the same day, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson responded to Trump’s remarks, asserting that the city cannot solve violence solely through policing and that alternative strategies are necessary.
Trump retaliated, pointing out Johnson’s low approval ratings and mentioning that Black women in Chicago have been requesting his intervention, as they “don’t want their children to be harmed.”
Several lawmakers voiced their openness to federal assistance in reducing crime but questioned Trump’s intentions. Pritzker noted he has not spoken with Trump about the potential deployment of the National Guard, suggesting Trump’s motives might be political.
Pritzker stated, “This isn’t about crime-fighting; it’s about Donald Trump finding any excuse to send military force into a Democratic city in a Democratic state to intimidate his political opponents.”
Illinois AG Kwame Raoul told Blake Burman on “The Hill” that the state is ready to accept federal assistance, but deploying the National Guard would not be justified.
While Chicago is referenced as the “murder capital” of America, crime is going down in nearly every category from murder to vehicle theft. Some residents say with crime going down, there is no need for troop deployment, and instead want to see more funding toward crime prevention initiatives.
However, one group in Chicago is welcoming the idea of troops coming into the city. Conservative advocacy group Chicago Flips Red says the city’s neighborhoods are out of control.
“When crime is down, the citizens are going to tell you that, because we are going to feel safe,” Danielle Carter-Walters with Chicago Flips Red told . “We’re out in the streets, boots on the ground so this is our experience. So when we no longer have four mass shootings in the span of one month, we will tell you we’re safe.”
