Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) has criticized President Trump’s decision to send the National Guard to his city, stating that it would only serve to destabilize the city and undermine public safety efforts. Johnson stated that public safety has been his top priority, with historic progress in reducing homicides by more than 30% and shootings by almost 40% in the last year alone. Trump has also cut $158 million in funding for violence prevention programs in cities like Chicago, dismantling the Office of Gun Violence Prevention and terminating over $800 million in grants for anti-violence programs across the country. Johnson emphasized that if Trump wants to help make Chicago safer, he can start by releasing funds for anti-violence programs that have been critical to their work to drive down crime and violence.
Trump’s actions in the District of Columbia, including deploying the National Guard, have drawn intense backlash from Democrats and residents of the cities. Police statistics show that crime rates in the District have fallen sharply over the past two years, and the president is taking over the Metropolitan Police Department through the District of Columbia Home Rule Act’s Section 740.
