* Click here for background if you need it. Governor JB Pritzker, Attorney General Kwame Raoul and community leaders will hold a 3 pm press conference emphasizing “there is no emergency that requires President Trump to send military deployments to Chicago.” Click here to watch.
* Senate President Don Harmon…
“If Trump is dead set on spending millions of taxpayer dollars deploying the National Guard and uprooting their families, I understand that budget cuts have created a need for crossing guards in the city to keep children safe. That could be a great public service. I would encourage the president to contact CPS leadership for logistics, or perhaps he could call the CTU President, as I’m sure she’d be happy to tell him where to go.”
* The Cook County Sheriff’s Office…
The Cook County Sheriff’s Office has not been contacted by anyone regarding any plans with the deployment of the National Guard. We have longstanding relationships with Federal partners, and we have not been informed of any strategic plan involving the National Guard in Chicago.
* House Speaker Chris Welch…
“Safe communities are built on trust between local law enforcement and our neighborhoods, so there is no situation in Chicago—or in any other community for that matter—that can be improved by Donald Trump’s unprecedented federalur overreach. The real crisis the president should be focused on is the cost of living crisis that is stretching families to the breaking point because of this administration’s erratic policies and misplaced priorities.”
* Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias…
“Everyone wants safer communities. If you really want to help Chicago get crime under control Mr President, how about restoring C.V.I. grants, passing common-sense gun safety laws and stopping the cutting of funding for city/state resources that would allow us to hire more police, law enforcement and “de-escalation” officials.
The National Guard was not established nor trained for crime fighting. Let’s make all our cities safer by pursuing policies that really work, not just pretending we’re doing something as a way to divert attention from all the failures of your administration.”
* Chicago Federation of Labor, Equality Illinois, the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Personal PAC and Sierra Club Illinois…
“Trump’s scare tactics are nothing new and our communities see right through them. As he well knows, our crime numbers have hit a 30-year low in this city, all while he fails to deliver on a single promise that would actually improve the lives of working people. He’s doubling down on a racist gambit to create chaos in cities to distract from his tanking poll numbers and disastrous policy agenda.
“We won’t be cowed. We won’t back down from fighting against his attacks on our fundamental rights, and we are committed to working together to ensure Illinois stays on course to protect our communities and our future.”
* Gov. JB Pritzker…
“The State of Illinois at this time has received no requests or outreach from the federal government asking if we need assistance, and we have made no requests for federal intervention.
“The safety of the people of Illinois is always my top priority. There is no emergency that warrants the President of the United States federalizing the Illinois National Guard, deploying the National Guard from other states, or sending active activity duty military within our own borders.
“Donald Trump is attempting to manufacture a crisis, politicize Americans who serve in uniform, and continue abusing his power to distract from the pain he is causing working families.
“We will continue to follow the law, stand up for the sovereignty of our state, and protect the people of Illinois.”
* Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton…
* Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson…
“We take President Trump’s statements seriously, but to be clear the City has not received any formal communication from the Trump administration regarding additional federal law enforcement or military deployments to Chicago. Certainly, we have grave concerns about the impact of any unlawful deployment of National Guard troops to the City of Chicago. The problem with the President’s approach is that it is uncoordinated, uncalled for, and unsound. Unlawfully deploying the National Guard to Chicago has the potential to inflame tensions between residents and law enforcement when we know that trust between police and residents is foundational to building safer communities. An unlawful deployment would be unsustainable and would threaten to undermine the historic progress we have made. In the past year alone, we have reduced homicides by more than 30%, robberies by 35%, and shootings by almost 40%. We need to continue to invest in what is working.
“We know that our communities are safest when we fully invest in housing, community safety, and education. The National Guard will not alleviate the housing crisis. It will not put food in the stomachs of the 1 in 4 children that go to bed hungry every night in Chicago. The National Guard will not fully-fund our public schools or provide mental healthcare or substance abuse treatment to Chicagoans in need. The National Guard is no substitute for dedicated local law enforcement and community violence interrupters who know and serve our communities every day. There are many things the federal government could do to help us reduce crime and violence in Chicago, but sending in the military is not one of them.”
* US Sen. Tammy Duckworth…
U.S. Senator and combat Veteran Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement today amid reports that the Trump Administration is planning another inappropriate deployment of American troops into American cities, this time to Chicago, without coordinating with state or local officials and despite the state not requesting any deployment:
“It comes as no surprise Donald Trump is once again attacking Chicago, but that doesn’t change that Trump’s continuing pattern of politicizing and misusing our nation’s military for his own partisan gain and to crush dissent is deeply disturbing, is un-American and has no place in any of our cities.
“We know this isn’t about ‘law and order’ because Trump is once again refusing to coordinate with state and local officials. And if he really cared about ‘health and safety,’ he wouldn’t have cut millions of dollars in gun violence prevention funding just weeks ago. This is just another attempt to distract the American people from the price increases his own policies are causing and the various personal scandals he wants to change the subject from.
“Forcing the military, uninvited, into Chicago to intimidate Americans in their own communities does not make our nation stronger, it simply distracts the military from executing its core mission of keeping Americans safe from real adversaries who wish us harm.
“It’s yet another unwarranted, unwanted and unjust move straight out of the authoritarian’s playbook that will only undermine our military’s readiness and ultimately weaken our national security.”
* US Sen. Dick Durbin…
“What President Trump is doing in DC is purely political theater. His actions are creating chaos and sowing fear rather than making our nation’s capital safer, and now he says Chicago will be his next target. Chicago is a beautiful, vibrant city with people from all walks of life, which I see firsthand all the time. While there is more work to do, violent crime in the city has significantly declined in recent years. These unprecedented threats and manufactured emergencies from President Trump are nothing more than a power grab to distract from his disastrous policies like ripping 17 million people off their health care and raising costs for Americans. We should be focusing on proven bipartisan solutions to continue to reduce violent crime rather than using our brave men and women in uniform for political purposes.”
* US Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi…
“President Trump’s illegal attempt to militarize Chicago will do nothing but spark chaos and create spectacle. There is no emergency in Illinois that warrants federalizing our National Guard or deploying active-duty troops into our communities—just as there was no justification in Washington or Los Angeles. Donald Trump’s flagrant abuses of power must end. Our brave servicemen and women are not pawns in his political games.
That’s why I introduced legislation to block any president from unilaterally deploying the military into states without a governor’s request. If the President is serious about making Chicago safer, we’re ready to work with his Administration—but not on half-baked stunts that trample the Constitution and spread chaos. I stand with Governor Pritzker and Mayor Johnson in rejecting this reckless overreach and defending the rule of law.”
* US Rep. Robin Kelly…
“President Trump, let me be absolutely clear: you are not welcomed in Chicago. Do not send the National Guard into our city. And you have no authority to claim what Black women want. Black women have lost sons and daughters, spouses, fathers and mothers to gun violence – and experienced the horrific trauma of gun violence and domestic violence themselves – yet you have done nothing to save Black lives. In fact, bringing the National Guard into Chicago threatens Black communities that have already been overpoliced and under-invested in for generations.
“President Trump believes he can make an easy target out of Chicago – but he’s never understood our city. Crime has gone down to pre-pandemic levels due to community violence intervention organizations that have provided opportunities and safer pathways for young adults. If the President truly cared about law and order, he would keep the National Guard away – out of DC, too – pass gun safety laws, and release already-allocated funds to CVI organizations. We all know, though, that he’s too scared of the gun lobby to do anything.”
According to the Chicago Mayor’s Office Violence Reduction Dashboard, crime has decreased this year compared to 2024, including a 45% reduction in multi-victim shooting incidents, 35% reduction in fatal shooting homicides, and 49% reduction in car hijackings.
* Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot…
* NYT…
Rahm Emanuel, the former mayor of Chicago, said on CNN on Sunday that Mr. Trump’s threat was more a reflection of the president’s animus toward its Democratic leadership and desire to crackdown on immigration than a considered strategy to take on crime.
“When you look at what he did in D.C., he’s not going to actually deal with crime,” Mr. Emanuel said. “This is an attempt to deal with cities that are welcoming cities, known as sanctuary cities, and deal with immigration.” […]
In Chicago, Mr. Emanuel said that prosecutors should pursue penalties for gun crimes and that law enforcement should work to combat carjackings, a category of crime that he said has not fallen as sharply as others. But city leaders are treading the right path already, he said, and do not need the kind of assistance the federal government is offering.
“We have a strategy for fighting crime: more police on the beat and getting kids, gangs and guns off the street,” he said. “And that’s what has to be done.”
* NBC Chicago…
The chair of the Chicago City Council’s Public Safety Committee spoke to NBC Chicago about the need to reduce crime in the city but said Trump’s National Guard threats are misguided.
“We still see an unacceptably high number of robberies, carjackings, burglaries, break-ins. We have work to do, but we need help that makes sense,” Alderman Brian Hopkins said. “The federal National Guard isn’t going to make a difference in carjacking in Chicago. If he really wanted to help, we’re short 2,000 police officers. Unfortunately, that is not what Trump is talking about.”
…Adding… Darren Bailey…
Former State Senator Darren Bailey released the following statement blasting Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson for opposing National Guard deployment to restore order in Chicago:
“If Brandon Johnson and JB Pritzker try to block the National Guard from coming into Chicago, they should be thrown in jail. They are siding with criminals and putting politics ahead of the safety of families. Enough is enough. Chicago is bleeding, and these two are too busy playing politics.
Families are burying their children, businesses are shuttering, and entire neighborhoods live in fear. For Pritzker and Johnson to say there’s no emergency is disgraceful. They’re not just failing Chicago—they’re enabling the chaos.
Chicago is a world class city. The City and our state do not need weak politicians making excuses. We need leaders with a backbone who will fight for law and order. Pritzker and Johnson have failed. It’s time to put families first and restore this city to greatness.”
- ChicagoVinny - Monday, Aug 25, 25 @ 8:30 am:
The state legislature should start escalating 10th amendment responses.
My two initial suggestions are a bill forbidding non-federalized guard troops from other states from entering IL without the Governor’s invitation. Washington signed a similar law recently. I’d also pass a law forbidding state and local officials and agencies from cooperating with federal troops who do not have an invitation from the Governor.
- low level - Monday, Aug 25, 25 @ 8:33 am:
Cool. Does this mean they will stop smoking weed on the train and the red line will be safe to ride at night?
- JS Mill - Monday, Aug 25, 25 @ 8:44 am:
Initially I thought this was purely performative. The troops don’t do much of anything. But, taking into consideration the white house conversations about martial law back in 2020, the growth and paramilitarization of ICE (and clear historical parallels) I think it is becoming clearer what is going on. I will be stunned if this is not a practice run for declarations that are coming ahead of or during the midterm elections. This coming from a decidedly non conspiracy theory person. But, as the old saying goes, when people tell you who they are you should believe them.
I am not sure what the politicians from Illinois can do here, but resistance is important but must be done carefully so as not to invite a more aggressive response.
Crime is ever present in big cities but I have never felt unsafe in Chicago.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Aug 25, 25 @ 8:49 am:
TY President Harmon.
Reminder the National Guard would have to pass background checks to serve as crossing guards.
Chicago also has a shortage of school bus drivers. I assume a portion of the guard have the appropriate license.
Another idea:
Let AON, Blue Cross and other downtown employers know that if Trump sends the National Guard, non-essential businesses in the loop and Mag Mile will be closed for public safety, as a precaution.
- hisgirlfriday - Monday, Aug 25, 25 @ 8:57 am:
Now that Trump is back to attacking Chicago can we restart the effort to get the Trump sign eyesore removed from his building?
- low level - Monday, Aug 25, 25 @ 8:59 am:
They wont go to the high crime areas like Englewood. Instead, they’ll stay downtown, the North Loop and Lincoln Park.
- OneMan - Monday, Aug 25, 25 @ 9:05 am:
Didn’t Bailey live in Chicago for a while? Was he always walking around in fear?
If you look at this chart.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_crime_rate
It seems that Little Rock would be better served by this than Chicago as well as Louisville
- Travel Guy - Monday, Aug 25, 25 @ 9:09 am:
–They wont go to the high crime areas like Englewood. Instead, they’ll stay downtown, the North Loop and Lincoln Park.–
You nailed it, low level. It’s like when they said ICE was going for the criminals. They aren’t picking up corner boys. They’re going to Home Depot, other work sites, and immigration court hearings (where people are trying to “do it right”) to grab the low-hanging fruit. The entire administration is performative, and stupid people love it!
- ChicagoVinny - Monday, Aug 25, 25 @ 9:19 am:
I feel like arguing over crime rates is falling into a trap. It’s just a pretext for his authoritarian moves, not a reason. If it wasn’t crime, it’d be something else.
The focus should be on the abuse of power.
- I-55 Fanatic - Monday, Aug 25, 25 @ 9:27 am:
It sure feels like this pot of water is starting to simmer. I hope our governments here can muster some tangible, real response.
- Sir Reel - Monday, Aug 25, 25 @ 9:27 am:
I’m glad most of the statements say Trump is doing this to distract from his failures (economy, peace, etc). Keep it up.
Also mention the cost, as in “waste, fraud and abuse.” Trump loves to spend our money on himself.
- Sterling - Monday, Aug 25, 25 @ 9:33 am:
“Chicago is a world class city.” -Darren Bailey
- Friendly Bob Adams - Monday, Aug 25, 25 @ 9:41 am:
Rahm Emanuel please just go away.