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White House accuses Pritzker, Illinois Dems of whining while Chicago crime rages
By Deirdre Heavey
Published August 26, 2025
The White House fired back at the barrage of criticism from Illinois Democrats over President Donald Trump's threat to send U.S. troops to Chicago.
"If these Democrats spent half as much time addressing crime in their cities as they did going on cable news to complain about President Trump, their residents would be a lot safer," White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital.
During a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Trump himself confirmed that he's "willing to go to Chicago, which is in big trouble," adding that Gov. JB Pritzker, D-Ill., considered a likely 2028 presidential hopeful, "refuses to admit that he has problems – huge problems."
Pritzker and his fellow Illinois Democrats – Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Attorney General Kwame Raoul – railed against Trump as a "wannabe dictator" on Monday as the White House weighs deploying the U.S. National Guard to Chicago.
PRITZKER RAILS AGAINST 'UN-AMERICAN' POSSIBLE NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENT BY TRUMP
President Donald Trump speaks with members of law enforcement and National Guard soldiers on Aug. 21, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo)
"Donald Trump wants to use the military to occupy a U.S. city, punish its dissidents and score political points. If this were happening in any other country, we would have no trouble calling it what it is – a dangerous power grab," Pritzker said.
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Pritzker called the potential move "exactly the type of overreach that our country's founders warned against."
"What President Trump is doing is unprecedented and unwarranted. It is illegal. It is unconstitutional. It is un-American," he added.
When reached for comment regarding Pritzker's criticism, the White House shared a fact sheet on Chicago crime, which includes local reporting that indicates, for the past 13 years, Chicago has had the most murders of any U.S. city.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker delivers remarks in Chicago alongside Mayor Brandon Johnson and other officials as the White House floats deploying troops to the city. (Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images)
It also includes FOX 32's report that more illegal guns are recovered in Chicago than in Los Angeles or New York City combined.
The City of Chicago is pushing back with its own fact sheet, arguing Johnson's primary focus has been "driving down violent crime in Chicago" during his first two years as mayor.
"In the first six months of this year, Chicago has seen a 33% reduction in homicides and a 38% reduction in shootings," the mayor's office said, citing year-to-date crime statistics.
Johnson also highlighted a "citywide homicide clearance rate of 77.4%," which his office said is "the highest in more than a decade," as the mayor emphasizes mental health and a "holistic approach to community safety."
With the dome of the U.S. Capitol in the background, members of the National Guard keep watch outside Union Station on Aug. 19, 2025. (Kevin Lamarque/File Photo/Reuters)
"It's very safe right now," Trump said of Washington, D.C., during his Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
For nearly two weeks, Trump has carried out a crackdown on crime in Washington, mobilizing more than 2,200 National Guard troops to patrol the streets of the nation's capital.
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"It's going to get so good that this will be the safest capital there is. It'll be one of the safest places in our nation anywhere," Trump told his Cabinet, adding that "12 days ago, it was the most unsafe place in our nation."
Trump has floated deploying troops to other U.S. cities as well, including Baltimore, Md., where he was met with criticism by another potential 2028 presidential contender, Democratic Gov. Wes Moore.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/white-house-accuses-pritzker-illinois-dems-whining-while-chicago-crime-rages