Trump's Threat To Deploy Troops To Chicago Draws Criticism From City, State Officials

2 weeks ago

Illinois governmental leaders and Chicago municipal officials are raising alarms complete President Donald Trump’s threat to deploy National Guard troops to nan city, insisting that sending successful soldiers would beryllium baseless and a clear lawsuit of national overreach.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who plans to clasp a news convention Monday day astir Trump’s threats, blasted nan president’s proposal that national soldiers were needed to combat crime, homelessness and undocumented migration successful immoderate of nan nation’s awesome cities.

“Donald Trump is attempting to manufacture a crisis, politicize Americans who service successful uniform, and proceed abusing his powerfulness to distract from nan symptom he is causing moving families,” Pritzker said successful a statement.

In caller weeks, National Guard soldiers person fanned retired crossed Washington, D.C. to tackle what Trump has framed arsenic an pandemic of “crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor and worse.” He has said Chicago and New York City are adjacent connected his list.

The Washington Post, citing officials acquainted pinch nan matter, reported Saturday that nan Pentagon has spent weeks readying a subject deployment to Chicago.

The plans reportedly progressive respective options, including dispatching a fewer 1000 members of nan Guard to Chicago arsenic soon arsenic September. NBC News has not independently confirmed that report.

Pritzer, a Democrat serving his 2nd term, said Illinois has “received nary requests aliases outreach from nan national authorities asking if we request assistance, and we person made nary requests for national intervention.”

“There is nary emergency that warrants nan President of nan United States federalizing nan Illinois National Guard, deploying nan National Guard from different states, aliases sending progressive work subject wrong our ain borders,” nan politician said.

Pritzker planned to stress that constituent astatine a news convention successful downtown Chicago astatine 3 p.m. CT (4 p.m. ET) Monday, according to Pritzker’s office. Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton has mirrored Pritzker’s position, saying successful portion there’s “no rationale” for a deployment.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a first-term Democrat, struck a akin chord in an question and reply pinch NBC News.

“The defender is not needed,” Johnson said. “This is not nan domiciled of our military. The brave men and women who signed up to service our state did not motion up to inhabit American cities.

Traditionally, nan national authorities deploys enlisted National Guard members to respond to awesome home crises specified arsenic nationalist disasters, nan Covid pandemic and civilian unrest.

Johnson pointed to metropolis statistic showing a diminution successful murders, shootings and car thefts. Chicago constabulary crime information released earlier this period showed murders were down 31% complete nan aforesaid play past year, while shootings had dropped by 36% and conveyance thefts were down 26%.

The mayor’s agency did not instantly respond to an email Monday requesting accusation astir immoderate of nan pre-emptive measures being put successful spot up of a imaginable national deployment.

Trump, speaking to reporters from nan Oval Office connected Monday morning, blasted Illinois governmental leaders and called Chicago a “disaster.” Trump called Johnson “incompetent” and branded Pritzker “corrupt.”

He signed an executive bid that creates National Guard units focused connected “public bid issues.”

Earlier this year, Trump deployed nan National Guard to Los Angeles to respond to protests complete his administration’s migration raids and deportations. The president did truthful complete nan vocal objections of California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.

Members of nan National Guard patrol adjacent nan Capitol

Sen. Dick Durbin and Sen. Tammy Duckworth, nan Democratic lawmakers who correspond Illinois successful Washington, some excoriated Trump’s talk of unit deployments.

Durbin dismissed Trump’s threats arsenic “purely governmental theater” and “nothing much than a powerfulness grab.” The fifth-term U.S. Senator, who is not seeking re-election successful 2026, urged governmental leaders to alternatively attraction connected “proven bipartisan solutions to proceed to trim convulsive crime.”

Duckworth, a U.S. Army combat seasoned and retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel, slammed Trump’s threat arsenic “deeply disturbing” and “un-American.”

“It’s yet different unwarranted, unwanted and cruel move consecutive retired of nan authoritarian’s playbook that will only undermine our military’s readiness and yet weaken our nationalist security,” Duckworth said successful a statement.