On Monday, President Trump stated that he may deploy the National Guard to Chicago and is prepared to mobilize within 24 hours to combat crime. Trump mentioned that he may wait for local governments to request assistance but did not rule out the possibility of direct federal intervention.
In order to enhance public safety, Trump has taken over the Washington DC police department this month and authorized the National Guard to carry weapons while patrolling the capital city. He has also considered deploying the military to cities like Baltimore and Chicago, which are controlled by the Democratic Party.
When asked whether the Pentagon is preparing to send troops to Chicago, Trump responded, “We can get the military anywhere within 24 hours.”
Trump told reporters, “They need help. We may wait (for local requests for assistance). But we may wait or we may not, or we may just go in directly, and that’s probably what we should do.”
Trump described the security situation in Chicago as a “disaster.”
“I have said the next (city in need of intervention) should be Chicago because everybody knows, Chicago is a killing field now, and they don’t want to say that. They say, ‘We don’t need him. We want freedom. He’s a dictator.'”
“I don’t like dictators. I’m not a dictator. I’m a very smart, sensible person,” added Trump.
Illinois Governor Pritzker stated on Monday that the state has never requested federal intervention and emphasized that if Trump deploys troops to the state, legal action will be taken to prevent it. The Illinois Attorney General also mentioned that judicial actions will be taken if necessary.
At a press conference in Chicago, Pritzker straightforwardly said, “Mr. President, please do not come to Chicago.”
Pritzker criticized Trump’s actions as “illegal, unconstitutional, and un-American.”
Pritzker, a Democratic billionaire governor, who is considered a potential candidate for the 2028 presidential election, criticized Trump’s security measures as merely “looking for reasons” to deploy troops to states or cities controlled by the Democratic Party, in an attempt to “intimidate his political opponents.”
Chicago Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson pointed out that federal grants in recent years have led to a more than 30% decrease in Chicago’s murder rate. He urged Trump to restore the millions of dollars in public safety funds cut this April due to government budget reductions.
According to statistics from the Chicago Police Department, murder and robbery cases have decreased by 31% and 33%, respectively, this year compared to the same period last year, with an overall crime rate drop by 13%.
Pritzker emphasized that there is no emergency situation in Chicago requiring military intervention.
“There is no rebellion here,” said Pritzker, stating that like other major US cities, Chicago faces crime issues but claiming that “violent crime rates are higher in red states and red cities.”
While Trump’s administration’s security measures have faced resistance from many Democratic officials, law enforcement actions to enhance public safety seem to have garnered significant support from voters.
According to the latest poll conducted by the Harvard Center for American Political Studies (CAPS) and Harris Poll, 54% of surveyed voters believe that Trump’s deployment of the National Guard in Washington DC is “reasonable and necessary,” while 46% find it “unreasonable and unnecessary.”
In terms of party affiliation, 85% of Republican voters support Trump’s actions, while 72% of Democratic voters oppose them, and independent voters are split, with 47% supporting the measures and 53% against them.
Mark Penn, co-director of the Harvard Caps/Harris poll, mentioned that Trump has redirected the political focus from immigration issues to crime problems, a strategy that is gaining strong support from the Republican Party and some independent voters.
A US official informed Reuters that the Pentagon has conducted tabletop exercises in advance to prepare for Trump’s order to deploy the National Guard. The official stated that these plans are routine exercises, and the Pentagon has not received any related orders. It is not uncommon to engage in potential deployment planning before official orders are issued.