President Trump on Tuesday mentioned he might repair Chicago’s crime epidemic “quick and completely” and urged left-wing Illinois Governor JB Pritzker to name him — after 39 have been shot within the Windy Metropolis this weekend.
The president’s plea got here simply two days after he claimed he might make the Windy Metropolis one of many most secure in America following the weekend of bloodshed.
“Not less than 39 individuals injured, 4 lifeless, in Chicago weekend shootings,” Trump wrote on Reality Social.
“Governor Pritzker, I, as President, can repair this. FAST and Completely.
“D.C., Memphis, New Orleans, all all the way down to file lows, and shortly. CALL ME! President DJT.”
Trump claimed 4 individuals have been killed in shootings – however Chicago cops say the variety of fatalities was six, WLS reported.
Greater than 500 individuals have been shot in Chicago already this 12 months, in response to police information launched final month and cited by WTTW. That is up 9% in comparison with Could 2025.
Two drive-by shooters who opened hearth in Princeton Park injured 13 individuals, in response to police.
Initially, cops mentioned 12 individuals have been injured – earlier than including {that a} man, 26, was wounded and refused medical remedy.
The drive-by capturing erupted simply after 11 p.m. within the Princeton Park neighborhood throughout a Juneteenth celebration when two thugs inside a pink SUV opened hearth on the gathering earlier than rushing off, cops mentioned.
Responding police discovered a 32-year-old girl who had been shot twice within the again and a 44-year-old man whose again had been grazed by 4 bullets. Each have been rushed to native hospitals in secure situation, police mentioned.
Different victims included a 17-year-old boy and a 22-year-old girl who have been every shot within the thigh, together with a 32-year-old man who was shot within the head, in response to cops.
Native alderman Anthony Beale mentioned he was “heartbroken by the mindless capturing.”
“In a matter of seconds, an peculiar summer time night time was shattered by gunfire,” he mentioned.
“Lives have been upended, households have been thrown into worry, and a complete group was reminded how shortly violence can change all the pieces. Nobody ought to must surprise in the event that they or somebody they love will make it dwelling safely. That is the merciless actuality of the senseless menace of gun violence in our metropolis.”
Violence additionally erupted in Chicago’s West Aspect Saturday and Aniyhas Jackson, 18, died after being shot within the armpit. Cops arrested a boy, 17, as a part of their probe.
A 21-year-old man was killed after being shot on the South Aspect early Sunday, police mentioned.
Pritzker, a possible 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, has rebuffed Trump’s requires assist.
“That is the president that thought that he might rent an unqualified firm to color the reflecting pool, after which thought that it might simply be freed from algae. And but days later, it was an algae sea,” he mentioned, mocking the $14 million renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
“And this is similar president that didn’t know that the Strait of Hormuz may very well be closed, shuttered basically, by Iran if he went to conflict with Iran.
“I don’t suppose that we ought to be listening to this president about guarantees that he makes or that he has any thought shield us within the state of Illinois.”
Trump has beforehand branded Chicago a “hellhole” and likened town to a “conflict zone,” threatening to ship within the Nationwide Guard to sort out crime.
In December final 12 months, the Supreme Court docket blocked Trump from sending the Nationwide Guard to Chicago as a part of an operation to guard Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) brokers.
Trump turned to the very best courtroom within the land making an attempt to overturn a decrease courtroom ruling that was upheld by the appeals courtroom.
Trump’s justification for the tried troop deployment to the Windy Metropolis used a regulation that allows the president to take over the Nationwide Guard if he isn’t in a position to execute the regulation with “common forces.”
“Thus, not less than on this posture, the Authorities has not carried its burden to point out that [the statute in question] permits the President to federalize the Guard within the train of inherent authority to guard federal personnel and property in Illinois,” the excessive courtroom wrote in its choice.
Pritzker has confused the US doesn’t want the Nationwide Guard to assist fight crime.
“We’ve been combating crime. We’ve been making an attempt to stop crime and it’s been working,” he mentioned in August 2025.
With Submit wires.
