 "President Donald Trump speaks to a gathering of top US military commanders at Marine Corps Base Quantico, on Tuesday, in Quantico. AP file")
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday demanded that Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker be jailed, accusing the two Democratic leaders of “failing to protect federal immigration officers.”
“Chicago Mayor should be in jail for failing to protect ICE officers! Governor Pritzker also!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, referring to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel.
His remarks come as hundreds of Texas National Guard troops have gathered at an Army facility outside Chicago, following Trump’s order to deploy them to the city — a move strongly opposed by both Pritzker and Johnson.
The Republican president has clashed repeatedly with Democratic officials in Illinois over immigration enforcement. Trump has directed ICE to conduct aggressive raids on undocumented migrants in Chicago, while local leaders have vowed to resist the operations.
Trump’s call for jailing Johnson and Pritzker marks an escalation in his ongoing feud with Democratic state and city officials. He has frequently used similar rhetoric against his political opponents since first entering politics in 2015.
Donald Trump’s comments, posted on his Truth Social platform, came shortly after he ordered National Guard troops to Chicago — the nation’s third-largest city — despite strong objections from state and local Democratic leaders.
The president was referring to Illinois officials who have opposed his directive for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to carry out aggressive raids on migrants in Chicago.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThis is not the first time Trump has called for the imprisonment of his political opponents. His administration has repeatedly targeted Democratic-run cities across the country with migrant raids, often conducted by masked or plainclothes ICE agents.
Hundreds of Texas National Guard troops have gathered at an Army facility outside Chicago, defying opposition from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Mayor Brandon Johnson, and other Democratic leaders in the state.
Trump has also threatened to send troops to other US cities, describing the deployments as potential “training grounds” for the armed forces.
National Guard forces have already been deployed to Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and Portland, Oregon — all over the objections of local and state officials.
“My goal is very simple. STOP CRIME IN AMERICA!” Trump wrote on his social media platform.