President Donald Trump said Sunday he will determine within a day or two whether to launch a federal crime operation in Chicago, pointing to what he described as successful interventions in Washington, D.C.
Speaking to reporters just outside Washington, Trump said he could address Chicago’s crime challenges “very quickly.” He framed the city as dangerous and criticized Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker for not prioritizing public safety.
“We’re going to make a decision as to where we go over the next day or two,” Trump added, renewing a promise he has repeated for weeks.
The prospect of federal action has produced repeated clashes between Trump and Illinois leaders. Governor Pritzker has argued there is no crime emergency that would justify deploying the National Guard, as happened in D.C.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has also pushed back. He recently signed an executive order intended to limit cooperation between local police and any federal or National Guard forces sent to the city.
Officials close to the administration say the deployment may not focus solely on violent crime. Border czar Tom Homan has suggested that personnel sent to Chicago would also be used to address illegal...