President Donald Trump is encouraging blue-state governors to invite the National Guard to their major cities to crack down on crime ahead of an expected, uninvited surge of federal law enforcement to the likes of Chicago this week.
In a Monday morning Truth Social post, Trump wrote that District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser has “become very popular because she worked with me and my great people in bringing CRIME down to virtually NOTHING in D.C.”
“Her statements and actions were positive, instead of others like Pritzker, Wes Moore, Newscum, and the 5% approval-rated Mayor of Chicago, who spend all of their time trying to justify violent Crime, instead of working with us to completely ELIMINATE it, which we have done in Washington, D.C., NOW A CRIME FREE ZONE,” he wrote. “Wouldn’t it be nice to say that about Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and even the Crime Drenched City of Baltimore??? It can happen, and it can happen FAST! Work with us!!!”
Trump was referring to Govs. JB Pritzker (D-IL), Wes Moore (D-MD), and Gavin Newsom (D-CA), in addition to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.
It is unclear what polling Trump was citing regarding Bowser’s approval ratings, as a Washington Post-Schar School poll published last month found her popularity remains unchanged.
“Mayor Bowser’s ratings have gone up, in a short period of time, 25%, and the people of D.C. are thanking her for stopping crime wherever she goes,” Trump wrote. “It’s not a miracle, it’s hard work, courage, and being SMART.”
Trump declared a public safety emergency in Washington last month by invoking the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, federalizing the district’s National Guard and the Metropolitan Police Department, and surging federal law enforcement.
But with Trump’s federalization of the California National Guard in June to respond to anti-immigration enforcement raid protests being challenged in court, the president has been increasing public pressure on the governors to accept his help.
“The top Law Enforcement Officer in L.A. said, during the riots, and when I sent the troops in early, that they couldn’t have done it without us,” Trump wrote Monday. “They were completely overwhelmed! If we hadn’t gone in early, on top of the Palisades plus fires, L.A. would have lost the Olympics. Congratulations to Mayor Muriel Bowser, but don’t go Woke on us. D.C. is a GIANT VICTORY that never has to end!!!”
The Trump administration, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, has confirmed reports that it has been preparing to surge federal law enforcement to Chicago. Pritzker is among a growing number of Democrats believed to be considering running for the 2028 presidential nomination.
TRUMP’S HIGH-PROFILE FIRINGS SHOW DISSENT IN 2.0 CAN BE A ‘ONE-WAY TICKET TO EXILE’
“We’ve already had ongoing operations with ICE in Chicago and throughout Illinois and other states, making sure that we’re upholding our laws, but we do intend to add more resources to those operations,” Noem told CBS on Sunday of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Pritzker has complained that the Trump administration is not coordinating with the state of Illinois ahead of the anticipated surge, while Johnson last week signed an executive order directing the Chicago Police Department not to cooperate with its federal counterparts concerning immigration enforcement raids.
