President Questions Illinois Governor’s Response After Multiple Shootings Leave Dozens Injured, While Local Leaders Condemn Surge in Violence
President Donald Trump suggested federal government intervention in Chicago following a violent weekend in which around two dozen people were injured in shootings and several others were killed.
Trump questioned why Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, a Democrat, had not requested 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.”
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a Democrat, condemned the recent wave of violence on Saturday, referencing a mass shooting that occurred during 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,” Johnson wrote in a June 20 post on X.
The mayor added that “violence has no place in our city, and those responsible will be held accountable.” As temperatures rise, he urged residents to “stay vigilant, check in on your neighbors, friends, and family, and remind one another of the importance of de-escalation.”
Juneteenth commemorates 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 Chicago’s South Side.
Preliminary information released by Chicago police indicates that at least two dozen shooting incidents occurred after 5 p.m. on June 19. Those killed by gunfire included a 21-year-old who was shot in the chest on Sunday, an 18-year-old who was shot in the armpit on Saturday evening, and a 50-year-old who was shot in the chest on Friday.
Chicago police data also show that 10 murders were reported across the city between June 8 and June 14.
Pritzker’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Epoch Times on June 22. The governor has also 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 criticized Chicago over its levels of violent crime, frequently highlighting the city’s history of homicides and shootings. In a September 2025 Truth Social post, he described Chicago as “THE MURDER CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.” Around the same time, he told reporters that he would send federal resources to the city to combat crime.
Last year, Pritzker, who is viewed as a potential candidate for the 2028 presidential election, signaled that he did not want assistance from the Trump administration and urged the president not to deploy National Guard troops or federal agents to Chicago.
“We want to make sure and show off that there’s no emergency happening in Chicago,” Pritzker told The Associated Press during an August 2025 interview while walking through 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 clashed over the possibility of federal troops being sent to Chicago. Last year, the mayor said he had “grave concerns” about the administration’s use of the National Guard and argued that such a move would constitute an “unlawful deployment.”
