Watters vs. Nellis: Crime, Politics, and the Chicago Conundrum
During a recent episode of ‘Jesse Watters Primetime’, host Jesse Watters confronted Mike Nellis, the former Senior Adviser to Vice President Kamala Harris. He halted Nellis’s commentary on the issue of whether the National Guard’s assistance was necessary in Chicago to combat its rising crime rates. This discussion was prompted by President Donald Trump’s statement on the prior Friday, stating his consideration to deploy the National Guard in Chicago due to the city’s escalating security situation.
Previously, the President had deployed the National Guard in Washington D.C., on August 11, garnering reactions from Democrats across the spectrum. In response to this, Watters raised a question to Nellis about Chicago’s willingness to receive aid from the federal government. Nellis refuted the idea, emphasizing that the onus should be on Chicago’s local leadership to manage local crime.
Former Adviser Nellis explained his perspective, ‘In my opinion, Chicago needs to step up its efforts to manage crime levels. Our local leadership should play a more active role in controlling crime. However, it’s worth noting that the citizens of Chicago exercised their right to vote for Donald Trump in three elections, and each time, he was defeated by an overwhelming 80% majority. If Trump wishes to address issues, perhaps his attention might be better directed towards red states.’
The statement has also been echoed in the refusal from prominent Illinois Democrats, Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, to accept help from President Trump. Both leaders held a press conference expressing their viewpoint on the Monday before this interview. There, Mayor Johnson cited recent reductions in local crime rates as a reason why outside intervention was unnecessary.
According to data from the Chicago Police Department dated up to August 16, homicides in the city had seen a marked decrease over the past year. The report indicated a 25% drop in murder rates compared to the trending data from 2023. Over that 12 month period from August of the previous year, there were a reported 474 homicides. The average annual homicide rate lay around 722, a figure derived from data between 2021 and 2023.
Nellis continued his argument against the involvement of President Trump in the affairs of Chicago. He expressed his support for an increased police presence in the city, but he also highlighted a certain issue with Trump’s policy. ‘I am in favor of a stronger police force in Chicago to ensure our safety. However, the challenge lies in the budget President Trump signed, where he reduced community police funding by $2 billion, resulting in a decreased police presence on our streets.’
President Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard coincided with the invocation of Section 40 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act. This move was a reaction to a series of high-profile crimes in the nation’s capital that captured the media’s attention. Notable cases included a violent assault against a former Government Efficiency Department staffer and the tragic murder of Republican intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym on June 30.
Despite the criticism from the Democratic side, a recent Harvard CAPS/Harris poll suggested public support for Trump’s anti-crime initiatives. This poll, which was made public last Monday, showed that 54% of registered voters considered Trump’s measures in addressing crime in the capital as ‘justified and necessary’.
The impact of the federal government’s approach to crime in Washington D.C. was further highlighted by U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., Jeanine Pirro. On the same Monday, Pirro noted that this federal intervention has led to over 1,007 arrests and the seizure of 111 illegal firearms.