Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, both known for their left-wing policies, lashed out at President Donald Trump after he said they should face arrest for obstructing federal law enforcement operations.
“I will not back down,” Pritzker declared defiantly in a post on X soon after Trump’s comments. Johnson responded by accusing Trump of racism, saying the president “loves arresting black men.”
The controversy began Wednesday morning when Trump took to his Truth Social platform to condemn Pritzker and Johnson for what he described as ongoing interference with federal law enforcement agents working to restore order in Chicago.
“Chicago Mayor should be in jail for failing to protect Ice Officers! Governor Pritzker also!” Trump wrote.
Both Democrats fired back quickly. Pritzker denounced Trump as an “authoritarian” and insisted that he “would not back down” from defending his policies that shield illegal migrants.
“I will not back down,” Pritzker reiterated following Trump’s comments.
“Trump is now calling for the arrest of elected representatives checking his power,” he wrote. “What else is left on the path to full-blown authoritarianism?”
Mayor Johnson, meanwhile, accused Trump of racial bias.
“This is not the first time Trump has tried to have a Black man unjustly arrested,” Johnson said. “I’m not going anywhere.”
During an interview later that day on CNN, Johnson escalated his rhetoric, describing Trump as mentally unstable and a danger to democracy.
“Well, you know, first of all, this president is unstable, unhinged, a double minded individual that, quite frankly, is a threat to our democracy,” he said.
He continued, “And it’s certainly not the first time that Donald Trump has called for the arresting of a black man unjustly. I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to stay firm as the mayor of this amazing city, which was voted nine years in a row the best big city in America. And we’re going to defend all of Chicago.”
The president’s outburst came after reports surfaced that Chicago police officers were ordered not to provide assistance to federal agents during a violent confrontation with pro-migrant demonstrators on Sunday. ICE officers had reportedly called for emergency backup when their position was overrun, but local authorities refused to respond.
Adding to the tension, on Monday Johnson announced the creation of “ICE-free zones” across the city, asserting that his new executive orders would prohibit federal immigration agents from assembling on municipal properties to conduct raids or detain suspects.
{Matzav.com}
Mr. President:
Please stop the war of words with Pritzker and Johnson. Arrest them. Their rhetoric is getting to be boring. Outside of the gang members who would all vote for these two moral misfits, it is likely that enough Chicagoans will reject these dangerous public servants.
This Johnson guy is dumber than dumb. The voters enthusiastically voted for this creep so they deserve everything he spits at them. The blacks love getting slaughtered by fellow blacks on the streets of South Chicago, and this black Mayor loves when he gets the weekend report of how many of his brothers and sisters are dead. Can’t blame that on whitey. Pritzker also has the blood of thousands of blacks on his grubby hands.