President Trump again railed against crime in Chicago on Tuesday after repeatedly saying he could deploy the National Guard in the city as he has done in the District of Columbia.
“At least 54 people were shot in Chicago over the weekend, 8 people were killed. The last two weekends were similar,” Mr. Trump posted Tuesday morning on social media. “Chicago is the worst and most dangerous city in the World, by far.”
The president said Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, “needs help badly, he just doesn’t know it yet.”
“I will solve the crime problem fast, just like I did in D.C.,” Mr. Trump posted.
He has said that he could send National Guard troops to other cities after touting the success in what the deployment has done in the District after hundreds were deployed last month to reduce crime.
The president on Monday praised D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser for saying the surge of federal officers reduced crime in the city.
The Democratic mayor said there has been an 87% drop in carjackings compared to the same period last year, and a 15% drop in crime overall since the increase.
“Wouldn’t it be nice to say that about Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and even the Crime Drenched City of Baltimore???” Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social. “It can happen, and it can happen FAST! Work with us!!!”
Mr. Pritzker has not been open to the prospect of deploying the National Guard to Chicago.
“I’m saying we don’t want troops on the streets of American cities,” Mr. Pritzker said Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
“That’s un-American. And, frankly, the president of the United States ought to know better,” he said. “This one doesn’t seem to. He hasn’t read any books. He doesn’t seem to understand the Constitution or the laws.”
The Illinois governor, who is seen as a possible democratic presidential candidate for 2028, said the city would be open to more help from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to help get drugs and guns off the street.
“You know what kind of help we want? Civilian law enforcement help. We would like ATF agents to help us take more guns off the streets. We would like FBI, again, to coordinate with our local law enforcement to help catch perpetrators of crimes. If they would do that, we would welcome that,” Mr. Pritzker said.
• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.