President Donald Trump has once again demanded the deployment of National Guard troops to Chicago following a violent incident that left a woman critically burned aboard a train. During a press briefing at the White House, Trump criticized what he described as ‘liberal judges’ for enabling the criminal justice system to fail, citing the case of Lawrence Reed, a repeat offender with 72 prior arrests who is alleged to have set a woman on fire. The incident has reignited a long-standing dispute between the Trump administration and Illinois officials, who have rejected the idea of sending troops to the city.
Trump, speaking during the annual Thanksgiving turkey pardon ceremony, accused Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Governor JB Pritzker of ‘incompetence’ and demanded they allow military intervention to address the perceived crisis. He argued that deploying National Guard units would swiftly restore safety to the city, asserting that the current situation is ‘out of control.’ However, Pritzker and Johnson have maintained that Chicago is not facing a level of violence comparable to other cities where troops have been sent, and that any deployment would be unconstitutional.
The attack on 26-year-old Bethany MaGee, who suffered severe burns in the incident, has drawn national attention and amplified calls for reform. Lawmakers and critics point to Reed’s criminal history, including multiple felony charges and repeated releases from custody, as evidence of a systemic failure in the justice system. Reed’s alleged attack on MaGee occurred just days after two separate shootings in downtown Chicago, further intensifying the city’s crime crisis.
Trump’s comments come amid a broader political battle over crime policy, with opponents of the administration arguing that the federal government has no right to intervene in urban policing. The White House has consistently pushed for military aid to address what it calls the ‘criminal chaos’ in major cities, including Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Memphis, Tennessee. However, the move has been met with resistance from city leaders, who have argued that the federal government is overstepping and that local authorities are better equipped to handle the situation.
Meanwhile, the case of Lawrence Reed has sparked a national conversation about the effectiveness of current bail and parole systems. Reed’s alleged attack on MaGee, which occurred on November 17, underscores the dangers posed by individuals who repeatedly cycle through the justice system. According to court documents, Reed had been released on electronic monitoring after a judge denied prosecutors’ request to keep him jailed for a previous assault. His repeated violations of curfew and movement restrictions in the days leading up to the attack have raised questions about the adequacy of current oversight measures.
Democratic lawmakers and civil rights advocates have criticized Trump’s approach, arguing that the rhetoric surrounding the issue is designed to distract from broader systemic failures. They have called for reform of the criminal justice system to prevent the release of repeat offenders, rather than relying on federal military intervention. The White House, however, continues to frame the issue as a matter of national security, insisting that without intervention, cities like Chicago will continue to descend into chaos.