Conflict Arises Over Use of National Guard in Chicago Crime Combat
Jesse Watters from Fox News interrupted Mike Nellis, senior advisor to ex-Vice President Kamala Harris, on Tuesday over his disapproval of utilizing the National Guard to curb crime in Chicago. Last Friday, while addressing the media, President Donald Trump insinuated the possibility of dispatching National Guard troops to Chicago. This came after their posting in Washington, D.C., which occurred on August 11. Democrats have been fiercely resisting this proposal — a fact Watters underscored in his talk with Nellis on ‘Jesse Watters Primetime’, questioning whether he thought the city of Chicago could benefit from the federal government’s aid.
Nellis responded, ‘Chicago’s law enforcement and leadership need to ramp up measures to quell crime. There’s no denying that. However, the city’s electorate has had thrice the chance to support Trump and he’s been defeated each time with an 80% margin. So, if Trump is willing to delve into issues prevalent elsewhere, he’d do better to concentrate on red states.’ Democratic Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Democratic Mayor of Chicago Brandon Johnson had a shared press briefing on Monday. They urged the president to refrain from intervening, and in his statement, Johnson drew attention to what he presented as diminishing crime rates.
Reportedly, data from the Chicago Police Department registered a 25% decrease in homicides in the city over the last 12 months leading up to August 16, as per the figures from 2023. The data further reveals that 474 homicides took place over the previous 12 months up to August 16, giving an annual average homicide rate of 722 for the years from 2021 through to 2023.
Nellis did not cow down to Watters’ pressure. He added, ‘I’m all for an increased police presence in Chicago’s streets for the citizens’ safety. However, police numbers will decline owing to Trump’s budget that he sanctioned, accompanied by the Republicans — it slashes funds for community police by $2 billion.’
Following an uptick in high-profile cases in Washington, D.C., Trump made the call to enlist the National Guard and exercise Section 40 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act. Notable among these cases were the vicious assault on an ex-staffer from the Department of Government Efficiency and the tragic shooting of Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, a Republican intern, on June 30.
Despite Democratic opposition, a Harvard CAPS/Harris poll published on Monday showed that 54% of registered voters deemed Trump’s actions to combat crime in the capital as necessary and legitimate. Notably, U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., Jeanine Pirro noted on Monday that the federal intervention had led to the apprehension of 1,007 individuals and confiscation of 111 illegal firearms.