Chicago Mayor Pushes Back Against Trump’s National Guard Proposal

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has sharply criticized former President Donald Trump’s recent call to deploy the National Guard to Chicago for a federal crime crackdown. Johnson warned that residents would resist such measures, saying that Chicagoans are “used to standing up against tyranny” and would not tolerate their city turning into a “military-occupied state.”

Trump’s comments over the weekend, suggesting intensified federal law enforcement in Chicago, were also condemned by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, who dismissed the plan as a “manufactured crisis.” Both Johnson and Pritzker, prominent Democrats, have publicly minimized the urgency of the city’s crime challenges, even as violent crime statistics continue to draw national attention.

Mayor Johnson stressed Chicago’s commitment to local governance and questioned the role of federal agents, pointing out that they “do not have police powers.” He expressed solidarity with other Democratic leaders, including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, in rejecting what he described as authoritarian tactics. Johnson also made it clear that the city would pursue legal and civic measures to counter any unwarranted federal intervention.