President Trump said on Wednesday that Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois and Mayor Brandon Johnson of Chicago should be jailed, escalating his campaign of retribution against those he sees as his political foes.
Both Mr. Pritzker and Mr. Johnson are Democrats who have opposed Mr. Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to the Chicago area and have criticized the aggressive way in which the Trump administration has carried out immigration raids. Mr. Johnson has signed an executive order to establish “ICE-free zones” in Chicago to prevent federal agents from staging operations.
“Chicago Mayor should be in jail for failing to protect Ice Officers! Governor Pritzker also!” Mr. Trump wrote on his Truth Social site.
The threat to jail Democratic officials who fight against his actions comes as the president has taken myriad steps to harm those who oppose him.
He has pulled protective details from members of his first administration who face death threats from Iran. He has revoked or threatened to revoke the security clearances of President Biden, members of his administration and dozens of others. His administration has taken steps to target members of the media seen as unfriendly, taken the hatchet to entire agencies perceived as too liberal and fired or investigated government workers deemed disloyal.
Today, one of Mr. Trump’s highest-profile targets, the former F.B.I. director James Comey, will appear in court on charges filed against him by the Trump administration.
The threat also comes as Mr. Trump has increasingly sought to send in federal law enforcement and military forces in a show of force against protesters in American cities, including Portland, demonstrating against his aggressive immigration-enforcement campaign.
Today, the White House plans to hold a round table discussion on the administration’s plans to target the loosely defined left-wing antifascist movement known as antifa. Mr. Trump has threatened “investigatory and prosecutorial action” against those who financially support antifa.
Luke Broadwater covers the White House for The Times.
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