35 Shot in Chicago Weekend as Governor Rebuffs Trump‘s National Guard Offer
CHICAGO, IL – A violent weekend in Chicago saw 35 people shot across the city, according to police data, as Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker publicly rejected former President Donald Trump’s offer to deploy the National Guard to address rising crime. The shootings occurred between Friday afternoon and Sunday night, underscoring ongoing challenges with gun violence despite recent overall crime reductions.
The escalating rhetoric between Pritzker and trump highlights a deepening political divide over strategies to combat crime in major American cities. While Chicago has experienced significant drops in shootings and homicides in the first half of 2025-down 37% and 32% respectively compared to the same period in 2024-the recent surge in violence has fueled debate over federal intervention and local control.The situation raises questions about the balance of power between state and federal governments in addressing public safety, and the potential for politically charged responses to urban crime.
According to city crime statistics released this week, total violent crime in Chicago has decreased by over 22% in the first six months of 2025. Despite this progress, the weekend’s violence prompted Trump to offer the National Guard’s assistance, a move swiftly condemned by Governor Pritzker.
“Do not come to Chicago, you are neither wanted here nor needed here,” Pritzker stated during a news conference last week. He further characterized Trump’s proposal as a “hazardous power-grab,” asserting that the former president seeks to “use the military to occupy a U.S. city to punish its dissidents and score political points.”
The governor’s strong rebuke reflects a broader resistance to federal overreach in local law enforcement matters. Pritzker’s office has emphasized that Chicago police are equipped to handle the situation and that external intervention would be counterproductive.
ABC News’ Ahmad Hemingway contributed to this report.
