CHICAGO (WLS) — Governor JB Pritzker pushed back Monday after President Donald Trump criticized Chicago’s handling of crime following another violent weekend in the city.
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Trump weighed in overnight, using social media to question why Illinois leaders had not sought more help from him.
The exchange began Sunday when Trump posted on Truth Social, asking why Pritzker was not calling him for assistance in addressing crime in the Windy City.
The comments came after a weekend in which 39 people were shot in Chicago, six of them fatally.
Speaking at an event in Gilman, Illinois, Pritzker said his administration has already sought support from federal agencies, including the FBI, DEA and ATF, to target crime. He said he would prefer the president provide concrete resources rather than post online.
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“I don’t think that that we should be listening to this president or the promises that he makes,” Pritzker said. “Or that he has any idea on how to protect us in the state of Illinois. I am deeply concerned to make sure that we’re keeping the people of Illinois safe.”
The back-and-forth continued late Monday, when Trump returned to Truth Social with another message directed at the governor, saying in part:
“Governor Pritzker, I, as president, can fix this, fast and permanently. D.C., Memphis, New Orleans, all down to record lows, and quickly! CALL ME!”
So far, Pritzker has not released any new comments. The governor has an unrelated public event in Chicago at 11 a.m.
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