Trump baselessly calls for Pritzker, Chicago mayor to be jailed
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson listens as Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker speaks at a news conference on Oct. 6 in Chicago. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images
President Trump on Wednesday said Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson should be jailed for "failing to protect Ice Officers."
The big picture: Trump, who has a long history of saying political opponents should be put behind bars, is escalating his feud with leaders in Chicago, where his administration's immigration crackdown and troop deployment have been met with fervent opposition.
- Neither man has been accused of committing a crime.
- Trump's combative rhetoric follows a lawsuit from Illinois and Chicago seeking to block Trump's "unlawful" deployment of federalized National Guard troops to Chicago.
Driving the news: "Chicago Mayor should be in jail for failing to protect Ice Officers!" Trump wrote on Truth Social Wednesday morning. "Governor Pritzker also!"
- Both leaders have rejected the idea that federal troops are needed in Chicago.
What they're saying: Pritzker said he would "not back down" in a an X post. "Trump is now calling for the arrest of elected representatives checking his power. What else is left on the path to full-blown authoritarianism?"
- Johnson responded: "This is not the first time Trump has tried to have a Black man unjustly arrested. I'm not going anywhere."
Zoom out: An emboldened Trump has used the Justice Department to target his political foes, including former FBI director James Comey.
- He has also publicly demanded Attorney General Pam Bondi go after Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
State of play: Texas National Guard members arrived in the Chicago area Tuesday.
- More personnel are expected to hit the streets, as Trump authorized the deployment of some 300 Illinois National Guard members over the weekend.
- Johnson signed an "ICE Free Zone" order Monday limiting federal authorities from using city property for civil immigration enforcement, a move the White House described as a "disgusting betrayal."
Catch up quick: The administration's "Operation Midway Blitz," aimed at detaining undocumented immigrants in the Chicago area, was already supplemented by armed federal agents.
- A number of chaotic and, at times, violent clashes involving federal agents led to the administration's escalation.
- Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described the city as a "war zone" Sunday, which Pritzker rebutted, saying, "They are the ones that are making it a war zone."
Go deeper: "Enemy from within": Trump ramps up rhetoric against Chicago
Editor's note: This story has been updated with responses from Pritzker and Johnson and additional reporting.
