In recent days, former President Donald Trump has escalated his tirades against Chicago leaders. He called the Windy City a crime “hellhole” and called for the arrest of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. His comments come as national guard troops from Texas arrive in the Chicago area, despite opposition from local and state officials.
Trump’s remarks regarding the city’s safety stand in stark contrast to recent police statistics that indicate significant drops in crime, particularly homicides. From the beginning of 2025 through the end of last month, Chicago is enjoying a historic, but hard to believe, 31% drop in homicides. That’s 278 fewer than this time last year. The Trump plan Trump seems to want a permanent military occupation in US cities to combat crime. He thinks it is key to protecting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
Illinois and Chicago leaders have fought back fiercely against the Trump administration. As a result, they successfully filed a temporary restraining order – known as a TRO – against the plan to deploy the National Guard. A court hearing on the case is already set for this Thursday.
In the statement, Pritzker went on to call Trump’s recent actions a declaration of war on Chicago and Illinois. Further flaying the administration’s planned deployment, he warned of Trump’s real motivations, arguing that the former president is deploying troops as “political props” and “pawns.” Pritzker went on to say, “Trump wants to make these armed troops who are literally under his command less alarming and more normal.”
Mayor Johnson has moved to prevent federal immigration enforcement agents from using city-owned property to conduct operations. This chief executive order is a reflection of the administration’s commitment to protecting all immigrant communities that call Los Angeles home.
Trump’s echoed demands for jail time for both Johnson and Pritzker have met with a blistering response from law enforcement leaders on every level. “I will not back down. Trump is now calling for the arrest of elected representatives checking his power. Looking forward on the road to full-blown authoritarianism… Pritzker remarked in response to Trump’s declaration.
The arrival of 200 National Guard troops from Texas at the Elwood Army Reserve Center—approximately 50 miles outside of Chicago—adds another layer of tension to an already heated situation. On top of that, another 300 Illinois National Guard troops are in the pre-deployment pipeline.
Trump’s rhetoric goes much further than just Chicago. He’s suggested deploying troops to as many as ten cities, including Baltimore, Washington D.C., New Orleans, and several cities in California. His agenda’s overriding emphasis on crime control appeals to frightened constituents on the front lines. Opponents say that by circumventing local control, their approach only heightens the currently fraught situation.
Johnson addressed Trump’s comments directly: “Chicago Mayor should be in jail for failing to protect ICE Officers!” This statement marks an increasing chasm between elected local officials and the former president. They argue over how best to keep the public safe.
The public health climate remains precarious, the political climate surrounding these events is heating up. Specifically, observers are looking intently to see how local and federal courts will react to Illinois and Chicago’s lawsuit against Trump’s administration deployment of the National Guard.