President Donald Trump on Wednesday escalated political tensions by calling for the jailing of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker over their opposition to his deployment of National Guard troops in the city for immigration and crime enforcement. Posting on Truth Social, Trump claimed the officials “should be in jail for failing to protect ICE officers,” although he did not specify any legal basis for this demand. The move marks another instance of Trump publicly urging punitive action against Democratic officials, challenging long-standing norms of Justice Department independence.
Both Johnson and Pritzker rejected Trump’s claims. Mayor Johnson, highlighting racial undertones, stated, “This is not the first time Trump has tried to have a Black man unjustly arrested. I’m not going anywhere.” Governor Pritzker called the president’s statement an authoritarian overreach, declaring, “I will not back down. Trump is now calling for the arrest of elected representatives checking his power.” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson defended Trump, blaming the officials for ongoing violence in Chicago and citing recent police reports of fatalities and shootings.
The deployment of National Guard troops, drawn from Texas, has faced legal challenges from the state and city, with their mission reportedly unclear. While Trump has labeled Chicago a “hellhole,” city crime statistics indicate declines in many areas, including homicides. Tensions have also escalated around federal immigration enforcement operations, including a shooting incident involving a Border Patrol agent over the weekend, in which the victims were later released pending trial.
Trump’s comments come amid broader concerns over politically motivated investigations targeting Democrats. This year, the Justice Department has opened criminal probes against California Senator Adam Schiff, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, all of whom deny wrongdoing and claim the actions are politically driven.
Governor Pritzker, a vocal critic of Trump and potential 2028 presidential contender, has accused the former president of attempting to militarize cities like Chicago to influence future elections, particularly targeting Democratic strongholds. Mayor Johnson has condemned Trump’s actions as a personal and political attack on women and people of color, describing them as unconstitutional and part of a broader campaign against the city’s immigrant and minority communities. The dispute underscores the deepening political and racial tensions surrounding federal interventions in local governance.
