Overview

• President Donald Trump said he is considering sending National Guard troops to Chicago after authorizing a federal surge in Washington, D.C.
• Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson told the president not to come, with Johnson pointing to lowered crime statistics in a Monday press conference.
• Chicago Police Department data through Aug. 16 shows homicides down about 25% year over year, though levels remain higher than before the pandemic.
• Former Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson called the deployment threat a PR stunt, noting the Guard lacks arrest powers and does not conduct investigations under long-standing legal limits.
• Local reactions are divided, with some activists warning of intimidation and a Chicago pastor backing a temporary presence, while a Harvard CAPS/Harris poll cited by supporters found majority approval for the D.C. crackdown.