Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has strongly opposed President Donald Trump's suggestion to deploy the National Guard in Chicago, emphasizing that the city does not require military intervention. Trump claims Chicago needs help due to crime rates, but Pritzker highlights a decrease in crime and insists that military presence is unnecessary and unwelcome.
Governor Warns Trump: 'Stay Away from Chicago'
Governor Warns Trump: 'Stay Away from Chicago'
Donald Trump claims that Chicago needs help from the U.S. National Guard. Governor JB Pritzker's response: – Stay away.
The U.S. National Guard has already been deployed in the capital, Washington DC. Since the weekend, soldiers there have also started carrying weapons.
The Washington Post reported over the weekend that the Pentagon has been planning a military deployment in Chicago for several weeks.
On Monday, President Donald Trump stated that the Guard is ready to be deployed anywhere with less than 24 hours' notice. Regarding deploying soldiers in Chicago, Trump said it is "probably what we should do."
– Chicago is in desperate need of help. Just look at the crime statistics, says Trump.
'You Are Not Wanted Here'
He was countered by Illinois Democratic Governor JB Pritzker, who pointed out that the number of murders in Chicago has decreased by 32 percent since last year, and both car thefts and burglaries have decreased by over 20 percent.
– Donald Trump looked straight into the cameras and asked me personally to say: 'President, can you do us the honor of protecting our city?' My response is this: Stay away from Chicago. You are not wanted here, and you are not needed, says Pritzker.
The governor emphasized that there is "no emergency in Chicago that justifies armed military intervention."
– Donald Trump wants to use the military to occupy an American city, punish his opponents, and score political points. If this happened in another country, we would call it what it actually is – a dangerous power grab, says Pritzker.