A US official confirmed the Pentagon and President Donald Trump are planning a National Guard deployment in Chicago. Mayor Brandon Johnson spoke out.
US official confirms Pentagon planning National Guard deployment in Chicago, Mayor Johnson responds
CHICAGO A U.S. official has confirmed to ABC News that the Pentagon is planning a possible deployment of National Guard forces in Chicago.
Mayor Brandon Johnson spoke out Sunday after an initial report Saturday claimed President Donald Trump is preparing a military deployment in Chicago as soon as next month.
Citing a report from The , Johnson joined Illinois leaders in condemning Trump’s proposed expansion of his crime crackdown efforts following his deployment of the National Guard in Washington, D.C.
According to The , the Pentagon has been planning a military deployment to Chicago for weeks. The Post is also reporting that plans could involve several options, including sending at least a few thousand members of the National Guard to Chicago as soon as next month.
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«We are in active communication with our counterparts at the County and the State as we prepare for any potential unconstitutional military deployments to Chicago», Johnson said in a statement Sunday. «The Governor, the Cook County Board President, and I are in complete alignment: Chicago is not calling for a military occupation of our city. We are currently evaluating all of our legal options to protect the people of Chicago from unconstitutional federal overreach.In Chicago, we have effectively reduced all forms of violent crime by doing what works: constitutional policing, violence prevention, and investing in our communities. This past year alone, we have seen a more than 30% reduction in homicides, a 35% reduction in robberies, and an almost 40% reduction in shootings. We need to keep building on this work. No matter what happens, the City of Chicago will not waver. We are Chicago. We will not bend or cower, and we will never break.»
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton spoke out Saturday about the report.
«The State of Illinois at this time has received no requests or outreach from the federal government asking if we need assistance, and we have made no requests for federal intervention», Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said in a statement Saturday.
