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Trump's Plan to Deploy National Guard to Chicago Faces Backlash from City Leaders and Residents

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Despite President Trump's claim that Chicago is plagued by rampant crime, the city has seen a 23 percent decline in violent crime in the first half of August compared to the same period last year. As Trump vows to send in National Guard members to combat crime, residents and city leaders are speaking out against the plan, calling it an overreaction and an affront to democratic values. Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker have decried the plan, saying they would welcome help in preventing violence but not in the form of armed troops. Chicagoans are concerned that the deployment would intimidate immigrant families, stymie business, and snarl commutes.

Key Takeaways:

  • The plan to deploy National Guard members to Chicago is facing intense backlash from city leaders and residents, who call it an overreaction and an affront to democratic values.
  • Chicago has seen a 23 percent decline in violent crime in the first half of August compared to the same period last year, contradicting Trump's claim of rampant crime.
  • Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker have decried the plan, saying they would welcome help in preventing violence but not in the form of armed troops.
  • Residents are concerned that the deployment would intimidate immigrant families, stymie business, and snarl commutes.
  • The Trump administration has previously frozen funding for violence prevention programs that Chicago and other cities rely on.
  • Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has said he would challenge the deployment in court if it goes forward.
  • A senior fellow with the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago has found that there is no support for the idea that there is widespread unrest in Chicago this summer.

Statistics:

  • Chicago has seen a 23 percent decline in violent crime in the first half of August compared to the same period last year according to the Chicago Police Department.
  • There have been 262 homicides in Chicago this year, down 32 percent compared with the same period last year.
  • In 2024, there were 583 homicides total, a 28 percent decline from a recent peak of 805 in 2021.
  • A recent NORC survey found that 66 percent of residents said there was an area within a mile of their home where they would be scared to walk alone at night.
  • Nearly 80 percent of Chicagoans feel very or somewhat safe walking in their neighborhood during the day, and about 36 percent of residents trust police to keep the city safe.

Sources:

  • The Washington Post
  • Illinois Governor JB Pritzker's news conference
  • Mayor Brandon Johnson's news conference
  • Chicago Police Department
  • National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago
  • NORC survey
  • Chicago Tribune
  • The New York Times

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