President Donald J. Trump reportedly sharpened his criticism of Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson this week, accusing the Democratic leaders of failing to address violent crime in their city and once again suggesting federal intervention may be necessary.
In a Truth Social post late Tuesday, the president cited what he described as an especially bloody stretch in Chicago. “A really DEADLY weekend in Chicago. 6 DEAD, 27 HURT IN CRIME SPREES ALLOVER THE CITY,” he wrote. “Panic stricken Governor Pritzker says that crime is under control, when in fact it is just the opposite. He is an incompetent Governor who should call me for HELP. Mayor Johnson is no better. Make Chicago Great Again!”
The sharp rebuke comes only days after Mr. Trump floated the idea of deploying National Guard troops to patrol both Chicago and New York City, a move that has long been opposed by Democratic officials.
Pritzker quickly dismissed the notion, blasting the proposal as “exactly the type of overreach that our country’s founders warned against.”
Mayor Johnson, speaking on MSNBC’s Morning Joe on Tuesday, went further, likening the suggestion to a “military occupation.”
He instead called on the president to restore more than $800 million in federal funding for violence prevention programs that his administration cut. Johnson argued those funds had been critical to his “community-led approach” to public safety.
But Mr. Trump has pointed to Chicago’s crime statistics as proof that Democratic leadership has failed to maintain order. “City data for the last week shows nine murders, 128 robberies and nearly 1,000 incidents of theft – including misdemeanor theft and motor theft,” he noted. For the president, those figures underscore a broader crisis of governance. “CRIME NUMBERS ARE WAY DOWN IN DC! AMAZING PROGRESS BEING MADE! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DJT,” he wrote.
Supporters of Mr. Trump’s position argue that Chicago’s crime problem is not a partisan talking point but an ongoing tragedy for residents forced to live with chronic violence.
The president’s claim that the city’s leaders are “incompetent” echoes years of conservative criticism that Democratic-run cities have tolerated disorder, prioritized ideology over safety, and resisted measures that would immediately protect communities.
For their part, local officials have countered with statistics showing that violent crime overall is trending lower than last year, even if the city continues to endure high-profile incidents of violence.
That data, however, has not muted frustration from many who believe the Democratic leadership’s strategies have failed to make Chicago safer in any meaningful way.
The clash over crime control in Chicago underscores a larger national debate between Republicans and Democrats: whether to rely on law enforcement and deterrence, or to prioritize community programs and prevention strategies.
Mr. Trump has made it clear which path he favors, presenting himself as a leader unafraid to take decisive action where local leaders have, in his view, come up short.
“Make Chicago Great Again!” the president declared, leaving little doubt that crime in the nation’s third-largest city will remain a political flashpoint heading into the next election cycle.
[READ MORE: Trump Pushes Death Penalty in D.C. Despite Crime Decline]
