Illinois' Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker stated the state “is not going to stand idly by” if President Donald Trump makes good on his menace to deploy the Nationwide Guard to Chicago to answer crime within the Windy Metropolis.
“In contrast to Donald Trump, we maintain our guarantees,” the governor wrote Wednesday on X. “We is not going to stand idly by if he decides to ship the Nationwide Guard to intimidate Chicagoans.”
“Motion shall be met with a response,” he continued.
Pritzker's feedback are simply the most recent in his current feud with Trump, because the federal authorities weighs whether or not to ship troops to Chicago.
Final week, the governor stated there isn't a crime emergency in Chicago and Trump is “trying to fabricate a disaster, politicize People who serve in uniform, and proceed abusing his energy to distract from the ache he's inflicting working households.”
“The protection of the folks of Illinois is at all times my high precedence,” Pritzker stated on Saturday. “There isn't any emergency that warrants the President of the USA federalizing the Illinois Nationwide Guard, deploying the Nationwide Guard from different states, or sending lively responsibility navy inside our personal borders. We'll proceed to comply with the legislation, arise for the sovereignty of our state, and shield the folks of Illinois.”
On Monday, Pritzker stated the potential federal deployment is “unconstitutional” and “un-American.”
“Donald Trump desires to make use of the navy to occupy a US metropolis, punish its dissidents and rating political factors,” he stated. “If this had been taking place in every other nation, we'd haven't any hassle calling it what it's — a harmful energy seize.”
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, additionally a Democrat, has cited information exhibiting that violent crime has declined within the final yr, together with homicides and robberies dipping by greater than 30%, and shootings dropping by practically 40%.
Though, crime remains to be up in comparison with 2021, in accordance with statistics posted by Chicago police.
“The issue with the President's strategy is that it's uncoordinated, uncalled for, and unsound,” Johnson stated on Friday. “Unlawfully deploying the Nationwide Guard to Chicago has the potential to inflame tensions between residents and legislation enforcement after we know that belief between police and residents is foundational to constructing safer communities.”
“After we struggle again towards tyranny, the folks united will at all times prevail,” the mayor later stated.
Different Illinois leaders have additionally made criticisms of the potential transfer to ship troops to Chicago.
Trump responded to Pritzker and Johnson on Tuesday, writing in a social media publish that the governor is “incompetent” and the mayor is “no higher.”
“A very DEADLY weekend in Chicago,” Trump wrote on Reality Social. “6 DEAD, 27 HURT IN CRIME SPREES ALLOVER THE CITY. Panic stricken Governor Pritzker says that crime is underneath management, when in truth it's simply the other. He's an incompetent Governor who ought to name me for HELP. Mayor Johnson is not any higher. Make Chicago Nice Once more!”
This comes after Trump's transfer to spice up the presence of federal legislation enforcement in Washington, DC, in an try to scale back crime.
A whole bunch of federal brokers and Nationwide Guard troops have been deployed to the streets of DC as a part of the federal takeover of the district.
