Fox News Host Jesse Watters Clashes with Harris’ Advisor over National Guard Deployment
During a recent broadcast on Fox News, host Jesse Watters found himself at odds with Mike Nellis, a senior advisor to the previous Vice President Kamala Harris. Nellis expressed doubts about the necessity of a National Guard presence in Chicago to curb increasing crime rates, towards which Watters took a different stand. In a previous press address, said President Donald Trump had hinted at extending the National Guard’s jurisdiction to Chicago, akin to what he did in Washington, D.C., on August 11.
The prospect of National Guard deployment as a solution to crime has been met with resistance, particularly from Democrats. During Jesse Watters’ prime time show, Watters questioned Nellis about his perspective on whether Chicago should reject or accept the assistance from federal authorities. Nellis responded with his belief that the city of Chicago must enhance its own efforts towards suppressing crime, while suggesting that the current local leadership also falls short in this responsibility.
Nellis further elaborated, citing Donald Trump’s repetitively low voter support in Chicago, losing by a massive 80% margin on all three occasions he appeared on the ballot. He suggested that the former president could invest his attention more effectively elsewhere and explore crime-fighting measures in red-leaning states.
Earlier on Monday, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a Democrat, along with Democrat Illinois Governor JB Pritzker held a press meeting. They publicly maintained their stance against the president’s proposal for military intervention, with Mayor Johnson sharing data about the progressive decline in crime rates within the city.
The statistics from the Chicago Police Department, covering data up to August 16, indicated a promising trend, with the city’s murder rate registering a 25% reduction over the previous year in comparison to 2023. Further figures cited by the department revealed that in the 12 months ending on August 16, the city documented 474 homicides, in contrast to a previous average yearly homicide rate of 722, averaged from 2021 and 2023.
Without backing down, Nellis countered Watters’ accusation, expressing his support for the increase of police personnel in Chicago. He was, however, quick to highlight that, due to the budget cut applied by the Trump’s administration (backed by the GOP) to the communal police fund – totalling $2 billion – the streets would witness fewer policing forces.
Trump’s decision to send out the National Guard came in the wake of increasing crime rates in Washington, D.C. that garnered national coverage. His move, as per section 40 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, was intended to suppress the rising wave of violence in the nation’s capital.
The criminal elements plaguing the capital included a series of particularly horrendous offenses that drew nationwide attention; such as the savage assault on a former staffer of the Government Efficiency Department, and a tragic shooting incident that claimed the life of Republican intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym.
However, the deployment of the National Guard was met with criticism and opposition, primarily from Democratic officials. Despite the resistance, recent findings from a Harvard CAPS/Harris survey released on Monday suggested public sentiment might be more divided. This poll revealed that 54% of registered voters feel Trump’s efforts to fight crime in Washington, D.C., are not only justified but also necessary.
On Monday, Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C. provided an update on the federal takeover. According to her, the move has resulted in over a thousand arrests and the confiscation of 111 illegal firearms since taking effect. This suggests that Trump’s decision to involve the National Guard may have had a positive impact on maintaining law and order, at least in DC.