Chicago City Wire

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has responded to President Trump's recent comments about possibly sending the National Guard to Chicago. In a statement released Friday, Johnson addressed what he called "renewed threats to illegally deploy the National Guard" in the city.

"We take President Trump’s statements seriously, but to be clear the City has not received any formal communication from the Trump administration regarding additional federal law enforcement or military deployments to Chicago.  Certainly, we have grave concerns about the impact of any unlawful deployment of National Guard troops to the City of Chicago. The problem with the President's approach is that it is uncoordinated, uncalled for, and unsound. Unlawfully deploying the National Guard to Chicago has the potential to inflame tensions between residents and law enforcement when we know that trust between police and residents is foundational to building safer communities. An unlawful deployment would be unsustainable and would threaten to undermine the historic progress we have made. In the past year alone, we have reduced homicides by more than 30%, robberies by 35%, and shootings by almost 40%. We need to continue to invest in what is working," said Johnson.

The mayor emphasized investments in local programs as key factors behind recent decreases in crime rates across Chicago neighborhoods over the past year. He argued that addressing public safety requires supporting community-based solutions rather than relying on federal military intervention.

“We know that our communities are safest when we fully invest in housing, community safety, and education. The National Guard will not alleviate the housing crisis. It will not put food in the stomachs of the 1 in 4 children that go to bed hungry every night in Chicago. The National Guard will not fully-fundour public schools or provide mental healthcare or substance abuse treatment to Chicagoans in need. The National Guard is no substitute for dedicated local law enforcement and community violence interrupters who know and serve our communities every day. There are many things the federal government could do to help us reduce crime and violence in Chicago, but sending in the military is not one of them,” Johnson stated.

No official plans or notices regarding increased federal presence have been communicated by national authorities at this time.