Chicago City Wire

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson responded to President Donald Trump’s recent press conference, where the president threatened to deploy National Guard troops in Chicago. The president has made similar moves in Los Angeles and Washington D.C.

In his statement, Mayor Johnson emphasized his administration’s focus on public safety and highlighted reductions in violent crime during his tenure. "From my first day in office, public safety has been my top priority. In just two years we have made historic progress, driving down homicides by more than 30% and reducing shootings by almost 40% in the last year alone. Last week, we learned that President Trump cut another $158 million in funding for violence prevention programs in cities like Chicago. These cuts are on top of the Trump administration dismantling the Office of Gun Violence Prevention and terminating more than $800 million in grants for anti-violence programs across the country."

Johnson criticized recent federal actions affecting local anti-violence efforts and called for restoration of funds instead of military intervention. "If President Trump wants to help make Chicago safer, he can start by releasing the funds for anti-violence programs that have been critical to our work to drive down crime and violence. Sending in the national guard would only serve to destabilize our city and undermine our public safety efforts."