By Jack Phillips
Contributing Writer
President Donald Trump suggested federal government intervention in Chicago following shootings over the past weekend that left around two dozen people injured and seven reported dead.
Trump asked why Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat, has not asked for federal assistance.
“Lots of Killing going on in Chicago. 22 people shot, at least 4 dead,” the president wrote in a social media post on Sunday. “Why isn’t Governor Pritzker calling me for help. I could make Chicago a safe city in ONE MONTH, in ONE YEAR, it would be one of the safest!!! D.C. went from one of the worst, to one of the safest cities in the U.S.”
Democratic Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson spoke out on Saturday against the wave of violence, citing a mass shooting on the Juneteenth federal holiday.
“I am heartbroken by the violence in Princeton Park last night. What should have been a night of celebration and community reflection for Juneteenth was shattered by a horrific act of violence. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their loved ones,” he wrote in a Saturday post on X.
The mayor added that “violence has no place in our city, and those responsible will be held accountable.” With the temperature rising, he said, residents should “stay vigilant, check in on your neighbors, friends, and family, and remind one another of the importance of de-escalation.”
Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. Earlier that day, former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed the first visitors to his presidential center on the South Side of Chicago.
Preliminary information shared by Chicago police indicates at least two dozen shooting incidents since 5 p.m. on Friday. Those killed by gunfire include a 21-year-old shot in the chest on Sunday, an 18-year-old shot in the armpit on Saturday evening, and a 50-year-old shot in the chest on Friday.
Chicago police data show there were also 10 murders reported across the city between June 8 and June 14.
Pritzker’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday. The governor also has not publicly responded to Trump’s social media post.
Under Trump’s administration, National Guard troops have been deployed on anti-crime missions in Democrat-led cities including New Orleans, Washington, and Memphis, Tennessee.
For years, Trump has described Chicago in negative terms and has highlighted the city’s history of having a high number of homicides and shootings. Writing in a September 2025 Truth Social post, Trump called it “THE MURDER CAPITAL OF THE WORLD,” and around the same time, he told reporters that he would send in federal resources to Chicago to quell crime.
Last year, Pritzker, a possible 2028 presidential candidate, signaled that he didn’t want any help from the Trump administration and called on the president not to send in National Guard soldiers or federal agents.
“We want to make sure and show off that there’s no emergency happening in Chicago,” the governor told The Associated Press in an interview in August 2025 while walking in a South Side neighborhood. “We’ve been fighting crime. We’ve been trying to prevent crime, and it’s been working,” he added.
Meanwhile, Johnson and Trump have also sparred over the possibility of the president sending troops to Chicago. Last year, the mayor said at the time that he had “grave concerns” about the administration using the National Guard and said it would be an “unlawful deployment.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
