Illinois Governor Comments on Rising Crime in Chicago

On Monday, Democratic Governor JB Pritzker addressed the spike in violent crime in Chicago, which saw dozens shot over the recent weekend.

Labor Day weekend reported at least 54 shootings, with seven fatalities. Pritzker spoke with NBC 5 Chicago’s Mary Anne Ahern, pointing out that “there are crimes in big cities” while redirecting attention to President Donald Trump’s focus on Chicago. Ahern posed a question about the city’s safety, asking if one would invite a friend over after midnight.

“Sure, there’s crime in large cities,” Pritzker acknowledged. “But look at what Trump is doing—he’s targeting Chicago while ignoring red states which have higher crime rates,” he suggested.

During a press conference on August 22, Trump mentioned he might deploy the National Guard to Chicago to combat the violent crime crisis. The city recorded its highest number of murders in 25 years in 2021, and the rates have remained elevated compared to the last decade.

“Chicago is struggling,” Trump stated. “It’s got an incompetent mayor, and it’s clear as day.” He pointed out that aside from June 2014, there haven’t been more than 40 murders in any month since at least 1970.

Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson have maintained that crime is significantly declining in Chicago. Yet, many residents have pushed back against this narrative, expressing that they do not feel safe.

On August 25, both officials urged Trump against sending the National Guard to address crime, with Pritzker arguing that such measures would complicate lives for residents. Johnson accused Trump of disseminating misinformation regarding crime statistics and deemed the deployment of the National Guard unconstitutional. He advocated for enhanced community services rather than merely increasing police presence in the streets.

Pritzker has been vocal in attempting to counter Trump’s controversial claims regarding Chicago’s crime rates.