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Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker appeared Thursday on journalist Katie Couric’s YouTube channel, defending Chicago’s crime statistics as President Donald Trump vowed to send the National Guard to the city to curb violence.
Pritzker said Chicago’s homicide rate has been cut in half over the last four years, crediting a mix of policing initiatives and state investments in community programs.
“It’s not just in police. I have invested significantly in police, but we’ve also made massive investments in community violence intervention. Those programs are working. We’re doing more than any other state in that regard, and it’s working on the streets of Chicago,” he said.
Pritzker argued Trump is unaware of these statistics, saying he “doesn’t read anything” and is out of the loop on Chicago’s crime situation.
“He doesn’t really understand anything. He just has some idea in his head that Chicago is bad. He’s always had that, by the way,” he claimed.
The governor continued his criticism of Trump, arguing that he lives “rent-free” in the president’s head as Trump continues to push for National Guard deployment in the city.
“I also think I live rent-free in the guy’s head. So, he’s constantly thinking about, you know, ‘How do I attack Chicago and, oh yeah, I hate that Pritzker guy too,’” he said.
On Tuesday, Trump took to Truth Social to call out Pritzker following a violent Labor Day weekend in the city. He asserted that he plans to intervene in Chicago to tackle the city’s crime problem.
“At least 54 people were shot in Chicago over the weekend, 8 people were killed… Pritzker needs help badly, he just doesn’t know it yet,” Trump said in a Tuesday social media post. “I will solve the crime problem fast, just like I did in DC. Chicago will be safe again, & soon. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Trump issued another Truth Social post Tuesday morning, labeling Chicago the “murder capital.”
Trump doubled down on his sentiments later in the Oval Office, and said that places like Afghanistan “don’t even come close” to the crime in Chicago. Additionally, he said he had decided he would send National Guard troops to Chicago, despite Pritzker’s opposition.
“If the governor of Illinois would call me up, I would love to do it,” Trump told reporters on Tuesday. “Now, we’re going to do it anyway. We have the right to do it because I have an obligation to protect this country.”
Fox News’ Diana Stacey contributed to this report.
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