Illinois governor slams Trump considering National Guard deployment to Chicago as ‘un-American’
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Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker criticized President Donald Trump as a “wannabe dictator” on Monday, accusing him of attempting to “occupy” Chicago with National Guard troops following reports that the White House is considering a deployment as early as September.
The Democratic governor condemned a Washington Post article outlining the potential action, claiming that Trump was escalating tensions with Chicago and its officials regarding crime.
“This is the kind of overreach that our nation’s founders cautioned against,” Pritzker stated at a press conference held in front of Trump Tower in downtown Chicago.
“What President Trump is doing is unprecedented and unjustified. It is illegal. It is unconstitutional. It is un-American.”
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks to reporters in front of Trump Tower in Chicago as he denounces a potential plan by the Trump administration to deploy National Guard troops to the city. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
Pritzker pledged to challenge the decision in court, alleging that Trump was seeking to occupy a U.S. city for political reasons.
“Go speak to the people of Chicago who are enjoying a beautiful afternoon in this city… ask them if they want their neighborhoods to become a war zone controlled by a wannabe dictator,” Pritzker remarked, accompanied by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and other local leaders.
“Donald Trump wants to utilize the military to occupy a U.S. city, punish his critics, and gain political advantage. If this were happening in any other country, we would easily label it as what it is – a dangerous power grab.”
The governor claimed that Trump was attempting to militarize a blue state while simultaneously cutting $800 million in federal crime prevention grants, most of which were allocated to nonprofits and local community organizations rather than law enforcement agencies.
Pritzker argued that crime rates in Chicago, the nation’s third-largest city, have decreased and disputed Trump’s narrative of the city being overwhelmed by crime.
For example, he stated that murders have dropped by 32% compared to the previous year and nearly halved since 2021.
“You are not welcome here nor needed here,” Pritzker emphasized. “We will see the Trump administration in court. We will utilize every available means to safeguard the people of Illinois and their rights.”
Earlier, Trump hinted that he would prefer to be consulted before deploying troops. He has been considering sending the National Guard to Chicago, mirroring actions taken in Washington D.C., where the federal government assumed control of local law enforcement. Over 1,000 arrests have been made, and the capital has experienced 11 consecutive days without a homicide, according to recent data.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker delivers remarks in Chicago alongside Mayor Brandon Johnson and other officials after reports the White House is preparing to deploy National Guard troops to the city. (Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images)
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National Guard units deployed without state approval are typically limited to defending federal property and personnel. When Guard troops were sent to Los Angeles in June during anti-ICE protests, their activities were restricted to federal buildings and escorting immigration agents. In Washington, D.C., under federal jurisdiction, Guard units have conducted armed patrols alongside local police.
“In a way, you really want to be asked to intervene,” Trump told reporters, taking a swipe at Pritzker: “He needs to spend more time at the gym.”
Trump continued his criticisms of Pritzker and highlighted Chicago’s crime statistics.
“I’m thinking about, you know, when I have someone like Pritzker criticizing us even before we take action. I mentioned that next year could be Chicago because, as everyone knows, Chicago is currently a hotbed of violence, and they refuse to acknowledge it. They say, ‘We don’t need him.’
Chicago recorded 573 homicides in 2024, marking the 13th consecutive year that the city has led the nation in total murders, according to data from the Chicago Police Department compiled by Wirepoints.
According to the Council on Criminal Justice’s 2024 year-end update, aggravated assaults decreased by 4% compared to 2023 but remained 4% higher than in 2019, gun assaults dropped by 15% but were still 5% above 2019 levels, and carjackings declined by 32% year-over-year yet were 25% higher than in 2019.
Meanwhile, Johnson echoed Pritzker’s defiance, stating that Chicago residents do not desire a “military occupation.”
“We believe that you cannot solve crime by sending in the military,” Johnson asserted. “The last thing Chicagoans want is an outsider who is unfamiliar with our city attempting to dictate and prescribe what our city needs.”
President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office as he continues to defend a potential National Guard deployment to Chicago. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Johnson labeled the plan as “a publicity stunt,” alleging that Trump’s focus on Chicago is rooted in racism.
“We cannot incarcerate our way out of violence. We have attempted that and have ended up with the highest prison population globally without resolving the issues of crime and violence,” Johnson declared.
“The dependence on jails and incarceration in this country. We have moved beyond that. It is discriminatory. It is unethical. It is unholy. And it is not the solution to reducing violence.”
