Pritzker readies his defense of Chicago with Trump threatening a crackdown
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker speaks to the press on board a water taxi passing Trump Tower on the Chicago River on Aug. 25 in Chicago. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is laying the groundwork for resisting the Trump administration's threats to take over Chicago's law enforcement.
Why it matters: Trump has said he'll use his Washington, D.C., blueprint in Chicago next, as Pritzker continues to dispute the president's portrayal of crime in the city.
What he's saying: "According to federal data, 13 of the top 20 cities in homicide rates have Republican governors," Pritzker said in a BlueSky post on Wednesday night. "None of those cities are Chicago."
- "8 of the top 10 states in homicide rates are led by Republicans. None of those states are Illinois. And yet Trump is sending troops here."
- "We don't need or want you here, Donald," the governor wrote separately.
The big picture: Many of the cities with the highest murder rates are Democratic-led cities in Republican-led states, according to an Axios analysis of FBI data.
- Those states include Mississippi, Alabama, Missouri, Tennessee, Ohio and Louisiana.
Chicago has seen a 32% drop in homicides from 2024 to 2025, per Chicago Police Department data through Aug. 25.
- The homicide rate has dropped 49% since 2021.
The other side: "Governor Pritzker had 6 murders in Chicago this weekend. 20 people were shot," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Thursday morning.
- "But he doesn't want to ask me for help. Can this be possible? The people are desperate for me to STOP THE CRIME, something the Democrats aren't capable of doing. STAY TUNED!!!"
The latest: "This is Governor Pritzker's legacy," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a Thursday press conference. "He should put politics aside, pick up the phone and call this president, who would be more than happy to do right by law-abiding American residents in the city of Chicago."
- "Maybe Karoline should learn how to pronounce Gov. Pritzker's name correctly — and note that just yesterday he was with local law enforcement focusing on public safety," Pritzker's spokesperson Matt Hill said on X.
- Hill also said the Illinois State Police graduated its largest cadet class in 25 years this year.
What we're watching: A Monday statement from the governor's office and other Illinois elected officials said Pritzker would pull "every lever at our disposal" to protect the state's residents.
- He also said Illinois has not received requests or outreach from the federal government asking if it needs assistance and the state has made no requests for federal intervention.
Flashback: California Gov. Gavin Newsom in June denied Trump's claim that he spoke with the state leader before deploying additional National Guard troops to respond to protests in Los Angeles.
- Newsom requested an immediate restraining order against the Trump administration for the purposes of law enforcement, but a federal judge rejected it.
Go deeper: Trump sending National Guard to Chicago will be trickier than D.C. deployment
Editor's note: This story has been updated with comments from the White House and Pritzker.
