Trump Says Chicago Is ‘Next’ For D.C.-Style Federal Law Enforcement Operation
President Donald Trump announced Friday that Chicago is the next target for his administration’s aggressive federal law enforcement operations, similar to the one currently underway in Washington, D.C. Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump called out the city’s Democratic leadership and escalating violent crime, vowing to restore order.
“Chicago is a mess,” Trump said. “You have an incompetent mayor—grossly incompetent—and we will straighten that one out next. That will be our next one after this, and it won’t even be tough.”
Trump praised the early results of his federal crime crackdown in Washington, where more than 700 suspected criminals have been arrested and the city reportedly experienced an eight-day stretch without a single murder. Flanked by law enforcement officials, Trump said the model was working—and would be exported.
Next Stop: Chicago, Then New York
The president said that after stabilizing Chicago, he intends to shift attention to New York City.
“The people in Chicago … are screaming for us to come. They are wearing red hats, just like this one,” Trump said, referencing his “Trump Was Right About Everything” hat. “African American ladies, beautiful ladies, are saying, ‘Please, Mr. Trump, come to Chicago, please.’ I did great with the black vote, as you know, and they want something to happen.”
While official city statistics show a modest decline in homicides in Chicago—down from 715 in 2022 to 617 in 2023—the city continues to report alarming weekend violence. Just last weekend, 34 people were shot, five of them fatally. Another series of shootings this week left three more dead.
Democrats Push Back, But Crime Data Tells A Story
Chicago’s Democratic leadership, including Mayor Brandon Johnson, quickly condemned Trump’s remarks. Johnson called the plan “uncoordinated, uncalled for, and unsound,” and claimed the city’s own crime-fighting strategy is working. He cited year-over-year drops of more than 30% in homicides, 35% in robberies, and nearly 40% in shootings.
Still, residents in high-crime areas have expressed frustration, saying the city’s political class is disconnected from the violent reality on the ground.
Trump’s critics argue that sending in the National Guard or federal agents would escalate tensions. Johnson warned it would undermine trust between law enforcement and the community. But the Trump administration says the results in D.C. speak for themselves and that local leaders have failed.
Legal Hurdles and Federal Authority
In Washington, Trump has legal authority to deploy federal forces directly through the D.C. Home Rule Act. But sending National Guard troops into Chicago would require bypassing Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker. Trump previously took a similar approach in Los Angeles earlier this year, triggering a legal fight that’s now before a federal judge.
Still, Trump remains undeterred. “We’re going to make D.C. great again. We’re making the country great again,” he said Thursday night while visiting National Guard troops in the capital.
With federal agents already operating under an expanded mandate in the nation’s capital, and the president signaling that Chicago and New York are next, Trump’s law-and-order campaign appears to be entering a new and aggressive phase.
And once again, the message is clear: if local officials won’t act, Trump will.