CHICAGO (WLS) – Former president Donald Trump has publicly discussed deploying the National Guard to Chicago, citing what he described as a “mess” and claims of residents “screaming for us to come.” The discussion follows a report in The Washington Post detailing potential plans for federal intervention in the city.
Trump,speaking from the Oval office while wearing a red hat emblazoned with “Trump Was Right About Everything,” stated,”We’ll straighten that one out problably next. That will be our next one after this.” He further claimed that people in Chicago are “wearing red hats just like this one,” and that “african american ladies, beautiful ladies, are saying, ‘Please, President Trump, come to Chicago, please.'”
These statements prompted a response from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who released a statement Friday calling Trump’s approach “uncoordinated, uncalled for, and unsound.” Other city leaders have characterized Trump’s actions as a political stunt, questioning his motives regarding crime reduction.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Attorney General Kwame Raoul also criticized the potential deployment, calling it a dangerous and unconstitutional overreach.
ABC7’s Chief Legal Analyst Gil Soffer explained that while activating the National Guard would likely face legal challenges, the practice of federalizing National guard troops is becoming increasingly common. Soffer noted recent deployments in Los Angeles and the potential for further action in other cities.
Though, data analyzed by the ABC7 data team reveals a different picture of crime trends in Chicago. year-to-date totals show overall crime is down 13% compared to the previous year, with violent crime down 23% and property crimes down 11%.
Mayor johnson stated Friday that the city’s legal team is preparing for potential legal action. ABC7 has reached out to Mayor Johnson’s office for further comment following the statements from Governor pritzker and Attorney General Raoul regarding The Washington Post report.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
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