CHICAGO (WLS) — Illinois leaders spoke out Saturday after a report claimed President Donald Trump is preparing to deploy federal troops to Chicago soon.
Citing a report from The Washington Post, state officials condemned Trump’s proposed expansion of his crime crackdown efforts following his deployment of the National Guard in Washington, D.C.
According to The Washington Post, the Pentagon has been planning a military deployment to Chicago for weeks. The Post is also reporting that plans could involve several options, including sending at least a few thousand members of the National Guard to Chicago as soon as next month.
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“Tonight’s reporting from the Washington Post that President Trump is preparing to deploy federal troops in Chicago proves what we all know: he is willing to go to any lengths possible to create chaos if it means more political power-no matter who gets hurt,” Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton said in a statement. “As Lieutenant Governor and throughout my career, I’ve fervently fought for the reformation of our criminal legal system and under the Pritzker-Stratton administration, we’ve made tremendous progress. Crime in Chicago is declining and there’s absolutely no rationale for this decision, other than to distract from the pain Trump is inflicting on working families with his dangerous agenda. Illinois, Governor Pritzker and I are here to stand for your rights, your freedoms, and will protect you against whatever storms of hate and fear come our way.”
“The State of Illinois at this time has received no requests or outreach from the federal government asking if we need assistance, and we have made no requests for federal intervention,” Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said in a statement. “The safety of the people of Illinois is always my top priority. There is no emergency that warrants the President of the United States federalizing the Illinois National Guard, deploying the National Guard from other states, or sending active duty military within our own borders. Donald Trump is attempting to manufacture a crisis, politicize Americans who serve in uniform, and continue abusing his power to distract from the pain he is causing working families. We will continue to follow the law, stand up for the sovereignty of our state, and protect the people of Illinois.”
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson spoke at a block party earlier Saturday, addressing crime in the city.
“One shooting, one homicide is one too many, and that’s why this block club today is so powerful, because it’s a reminder of how much work we have to do,” Johnson said. “Look at all of these young people and these families that are here today. This is who Chicago really is. What’s being painted by the federal government is false. We love one another, we support one another. We put our arms around one another, we invest in one another, because we know that we are our best keepers of one another.”
On Friday, Trump said Chicago will likely be the next target of his efforts to crack down on crime, homelessness and illegal immigration while speaking in the Oval Office.
Trump indicated that the Midwestern city could receive similar treatment to what he’s done in Washington, D.C., where he’s deployed 2,000 troops on the streets.
“I think Chicago will be our next,” Trump told reporters at the White House, later adding, “And then we’ll help with New York.”
Trump has repeatedly described some of the nation’s largest cities – run by Democrats, with Black mayors and majority-minority populations – as dangerous and filthy.
He singled out Chicago on Friday, calling it a “mess” and saying residents there are “screaming for us to come.”
“We’ll straighten that one out probably next. That will be our next one after this,” Trump said.
The president, who was sitting in the Oval Office and wearing a red hat that said, “Trump Was Right About Everything,” claimed people in Chicago are “wearing red hats just like this one.”
He added, “African American ladies, beautiful ladies, are saying, ‘Please, President Trump, come to Chicago, please.'”
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ABC7 Chief Legal Analyst Gil Soffer told the ABC7 I-Team while an action like activating the National Guard likely would be challenged in court, the seldom used strategy of deploying National Guard troops is becoming more and more common.
“Until a year ago, you could count on one hand the number of times that the National Guard has been activated, federalized,” Soffer said. “We’ve already now seen it happen in Los Angeles. There’s a threat to make it happen in Chicago. It could happen beyond that.”
On Friday, Mayor Brandon Johnson responding in a statement to Trump, saying, “The problem with the President’s approach is that it is uncoordinated, uncalled for, and unsound.”
Other city leaders say Trump’s motives have nothing to do with bringing down crime, calling it a political stunt.
The president called Chicago a very dangerous place, but crime data from Chicago police analyzed by the ABC7 data team shows that year to date totals compared to last year show overall crime is down 13%, violent crime is down 23%, and property crimes are down 11%.
The mayor said Friday the city’s legal team is already preparing.
ABC7 has reached out to Mayor’s Johnson’s office Saturday for a comment following the statements from Pritzker and Stratton on The Washington Post report.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
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