Trump calls JB Pritzker an 'incompetent guy' for saying 'it's safe' in Chicago

Donald Trump cited a week in Chicago with 11 murders and 38 shootings to criticize JB Pritzker's insistence on rejecting federal help
PUBLISHED OCT 8, 2025
Donald Trump took a jab at JB Pritzker for saying 'we can handle it' in Chicago while referencing recent shooting and homicide figures (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Donald Trump took a jab at JB Pritzker for saying 'we can handle it' in Chicago while referencing recent shooting and homicide figures (Scott Olson/Getty Images)


 

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump took a jab at Illinois Governor JB Pritzker on Tuesday, October 7, calling him an "incompetent guy" for saying "it's safe" in Chicago and "we can handle it."

The Democrat said on Sunday that the actions taken by ICE and other federal agents deployed to Chicago by Trump have made citizens less safe.

Trump says JB Pritzker should say 'we'd love to have a safer place'

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks on stage during the second day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center on August 20, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. Delegates, politicians, and Democratic Party supporters are gathering in Chicago, as current Vice President Kamala Harris is named her party's presidential nominee. The DNC takes place from August 19-22. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker speaks on stage during the second day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center on August 20, 2024, in Chicago, Illinois (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

During a press briefing on Tuesday at the Oval Office, Donald Trump said, "Chicago can be very safe and it got to be very safe. You would say why is it that a governor wouldn't accept free help? I mean, if it's National Guard, or the Military, or anybody."

He continued, "I mean, if women are r***d and beaten and knocked the hell, and the same with men, where they have been shot all over the place in large numbers."

The commander-in-chief then took a jab at Pritzker and said, "We had a week in Chicago where 11 people were murdered and 38 people were shot, and then we have a governor get up and say, 'It's safe, we can handle it.' He can't handle it, he's an incompetent guy. That's why they threw him out of the family business."

President Donald Trump makes remarks during the Navy 250 Celebration aboard the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier on October 5, 2025 in Norfolk, Virginia. President Trump is visiting Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia for a celebration of the 250th birthday of the U.S. Navy. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump makes remarks during the Navy 250 Celebration aboard the USS Harry S Truman aircraft carrier on October 5, 2025, in Norfolk, Virginia (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Moreover, the president added that the Illinois governor should say, "we'd love to have a safer place."

He added, "Chicago is a great city, potentially. The head of the Union Pacific said, 'Sir, save Chicago, it's a great city. It is going to be a loss if you don't do this.' We had no choice but to do this."

Notably, Illinois has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration seeking to stop the deployment of National Guard troops to the state.

Illinois and Chicago sue Trump admin over National Guard deployment

The state of Illinois and the city of Chicago filed a lawsuit on Monday against the Trump administration, seeking to block its decision to deploy National Guard troops to Chicago.

It marks a new legal escalation in the standoff between Democratic-led states and the White House over the use of federalized forces during ongoing protests.



 

The lawsuit read, "Defendants’ deployment of federalized troops to Illinois is patently unlawful. Plaintiffs ask this court to halt the illegal, dangerous, and unconstitutional federalization of members of the National Guard of the United States, including both the Illinois and Texas National Guard."

The legal challenge came just two days after Trump authorized 300 members of the Illinois National Guard to be sent to Chicago to "protect federal officers and assets."

Pritzker criticized the Trump administration’s decision, calling it an "invasion" and accusing the White House of undermining state sovereignty.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 25: Flanked by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (L) and other Illinois politicians and community leaders, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks at a news conference to address President Donald Trump's plan to send National Guard troops into the city on August 25, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. Besides Chicago, the president on Friday said he planned to target Baltimore and New York as well for his next federal crackdown on crime following days of federal agents working the streets of Washington with DC Metro Police. Trump today appeared to back off from those threats in remarks to reporters. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Flanked by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and other Illinois politicians and community leaders, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks at a news conference to address President Donald Trump's plan to send National Guard troops into the city on August 25, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Pritzker said on Sunday, "Deploying federalized troops without a state’s consent is dangerous and unconstitutional," while pledging to fight the move in court.

Moreover, he said on Monday, "Trump and the thuggery that his agents have brought have actively made us less safe. They have struck fear in our communities, including, notably, fear in the hearts of US citizens."



 

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