President Donald Trump asserted early Thursday that the violence plaguing Chicago could be eliminated if local leaders accepted his assistance, saying he could “fix it in one month.”
“The Mayor and Governor should be begging me for help. Crime is out of control in Chicago, potentially one of the greatest cities in the World (Again!). I could fix it in one month!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
His remarks followed a New York Post article that detailed the toll of shootings over the Labor Day weekend: eight killed and at least 58 injured in 32 incidents. The report noted that Democrat Mayor Brandon Johnson continued to push back against Trump’s idea of using the National Guard.
Trump’s comments came as Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker indicated that hundreds of federal agents could arrive by the weekend. Local officials in suburban areas were told to prepare for about 300 federal immigration officers who would be conducting heightened enforcement actions.
“They haven’t confirmed any of that to us, but what we’re hearing is that they’ll be assembled, ready to go on Friday, and that they will begin actions on Saturday,” Pritzker told the press, according to The Chicago Tribune.
Pritzker, a Democrat, has consistently dismissed Trump’s call for National Guard intervention, arguing that it’s both unneeded and an overreach of power. Trump has continued to press the issue, while his campaign has used the clash as a tool for rallying supporters.
A fundraising message sent out this week proclaimed “WE’RE GOING INTO CHICAGO” and encouraged backers to “LIBERATE CHICAGO – SAVE AMERICA – STAND WITH TRUMP!” according to the Tribune.
The Tribune also quoted Trump saying, “The Radical Left Governors and Mayors of crime-ridden cities don’t want to stop the radical crime. I wish they’d just give me a call. I’d gain respect for them. This isn’t a political thing; we have the right to do it because I HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO KEEP AMERICA SAFE!”
Trump has cited the example of Republican Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, who sought federal assistance in New Orleans, suggesting that he might focus on that city before Chicago.
“We have a great thing going. I could do that with Chicago. We could do that with New York. We could do it with Los Angeles,” Trump said this week. “So we’re making a determination now, do we go to Chicago, or do we go to a place like New Orleans, where we have a great governor?”
Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance said on Wednesday that there were “no immediate plans” for National Guard deployment in Chicago when asked about Trump’s suggestion and possible timelines, Newsmax reported.
Trump has long pledged to intensify federal crackdowns in Democrat-run cities such as Chicago. On Tuesday, he once again vowed to send in troops, though he gave no concrete details.
Chicago officials have already braced for possible federal activity. Activists distributed “emergency protest” alerts, promising to take to the streets within hours if such intervention begins.
{Matzav.com}
