Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson strongly criticized President Donald Trump’s recent suggestion to deploy National Guard troops to Chicago in response to rising crime. Johnson warned that such federal intervention would spark resistance from city residents, stating that “the people of this city will rise up” against what he called a form of authoritarianism.
Trump has indicated that Chicago could be targeted next for increased federal law enforcement, a move that also drew condemnation from Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, who dismissed it as a “manufactured crisis.” Johnson rejected the idea of turning Chicago into a “military-occupied state” and praised other cities like Los Angeles for resisting federal crackdowns.
Johnson emphasized that the federal government lacks police authority within city boundaries and pledged to take legal action if necessary. He expressed confidence that Chicagoans would stand with him, invoking the city’s history of resisting oppression and calling Trump a “tyrant” threatening the city’s democratic values.
Despite the mayor and governor’s denial of a major crime crisis, the White House issued a press release with alarming statistics. Chicago has led the nation in murders for 13 consecutive years and currently has a murder rate significantly higher than other large U.S. cities like Los Angeles and New York City. Arrests have been made in only 16.2% of reported crimes this year.
Residents voiced growing concerns about the lack of police presence and rising violence. Following a shooting near a senior living facility, one woman questioned the absence of police patrols, while a robbery victim criticized Johnson for focusing more on political priorities than on public safety.
Local officials and business owners echoed similar sentiments. Alderman Brian Hopkins admitted the city has a crime problem, and residents noted a sharp rise in burglaries and armed robberies, describing the current environment as more dangerous than in recent years.
