Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson faced intense scrutiny after a deadly Labor Day weekend that left eight people dead and nearly 60 injured in shootings across the city. Instead of addressing the crisis directly, Johnson shifted blame onto President Trump, claiming gun violence in Chicago stems from “red states.”
“The vast majority of guns do not come from Chicago… For every gun that the Chicago PD fights to get off the streets, two or three more new guns come into our city,” Johnson asserted during a press conference. His comments drew sharp criticism as the city grappled with 32 shootings over the weekend, including a neighborhood rocked by two mass shootings within 48 hours.
Despite the escalating violence, Johnson refused to support federal intervention, vowing, “No federal troops in the city of Chicago. No militarized force in the city of Chicago.” He framed his stance as a defense of democracy and “the humanity of every single person in the city.”
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker also faced backlash for downplaying the crisis, with critics accusing him of urging residents to accept daily violence as an inevitability. Meanwhile, President Trump reiterated calls for federal assistance to combat Chicago’s crime epidemic, a move Johnson and local leaders have consistently opposed.