Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has condemned President Donald Trump’s threat to deploy federal troops in Chicago, calling it an ‘unconstitutional and unamerican’ move designed more for political theater than public safety. Speaking at a news conference beside top Democratic officials, the governor emphasized that while Chicago faces crime challenges, it is in better shape than many other major U.S. cities. He dismissed Trump’s rhetoric as a political maneuver, arguing that the president has not made any formal request for federal assistance or communicated with state or local authorities.
Pritzker’s remarks come days after Trump, at a White House briefing, reiterated his threat to take military action against Chicago, a city with a progressive history and a significant immigrant population. The governor and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, alongside Senator Tammy Duckworth, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, and other civic and faith leaders, vowed to fight any National Guard intervention in court, asserting that Illinois has the authority to block such actions. Johnson highlighted the city’s declining crime rates, down over 30% from previous years, and blamed Trump’s threats on political targeting rather than genuine concerns about public safety.
Chicago Alderwoman Samantha Nugent, who formerly worked with the Cook County Department of Homeland Security, raised concerns that the National Guard’s involvement could lead to confusion over command structures, as the police superintendent, not the Guard, should oversee the chain of command. The high-profile press conference followed Johnson’s weekend remarks on MSNBC, where he denounced Trump’s threats as a ‘flagrant violation of our Constitution.’ Former Chicago mayors Rahm Emanuel and Lori Lightfoot also joined the criticism, with Emanuel arguing that Trump’s actions are more about scapegoating progressive cities rather than addressing crime effectively.