Trump slams 'terrible' Chicago Dem leaders after driver plows into 5 cops at 'teen takeover'

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump on Tuesday, May 26, slammed Chicago’s Democratic leadership and called for federal intervention after a chaotic “teen takeover” over Memorial Day weekend left five police officers injured.

The incident occurred early Sunday morning when an 18-year-old driver allegedly plowed into a group of patrolling officers on the city's West Side.

Trump targets JB Pritzker and Brandon Johnson over Chicago's 'teen takeover' chaos

The violent escalation prompted a response from President Trump, who took to 'Truth Social' to call out Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.

Trump wrote, “Teen takeover in Chicago. Five officers were badly hurt. The mayor and the governor are terrible. Should call for help!”

Trump blamed the state and local leadership for failing to manage the situation as hundreds of teenagers flooded the streets of the West Side late Saturday night, mirroring viral takeover trends seen in other major cities nationwide.

18-year-old charged for plowing into police cars and fences

The chaos turned destructive when 18-year-old Rashad Johnson of Plainfield, Illinois, allegedly used his vehicle to strike the five Chicago police officers who were patrolling South Loomis Street to disperse the illegal gathering.

Authorities reported that Johnson finally jumped the curb and crashed into a police car, a pole, and a fence before being arrested just after 3:20 am.

It is to be noted that Johnson has since been charged with five counts of attempted murder, five counts of aggravated battery, weapons charges, and criminal damage, while the five injured officers were transported to a local hospital.

Brandon Johnson points to zero homicides despite 37 shootings

The incident on South Loomis Street was part of a larger wave of disruptions across Chicago, including another massive gathering in nearby Hyde Park that resulted in 53 arrests ranging in age from 13 to 28 for offenses like disorderly conduct, criminal trespassing, and battery, according to CBS Chicago.

In the wake of the turbulent weekend, which saw 37 people shot, Mayor Brandon Johnson defended his administration's approach and pushed back against Republican criticism on X, writing, “Republicans need to stop capitalizing on pain and fear to distract from their failing economy and the consequences of their forever wars.” 

He noted that the city is focused on investing in youth and strengthening communities, adding, “While there is still more work to do, we are encouraged by a Memorial Day weekend that saw zero homicides.

Mayor blames parents and demands accountability for violence

Earlier, Mayor Johnson addressed the root cause of the illegal takeovers by placing responsibility on both the young participants and their families.

Highlighting the dangers of breaking local curfews, the mayor stressed that public safety requires cooperation at home.

“Unauthorized large gatherings can quickly become dangerous, and early this morning, after curfew hours, we saw that firsthand,” Johnson wrote, concluding that “I continue to call on parents and guardians to know where their children are and to help ensure they are safe and accounted for. There also must be accountability for the individuals who participated in the violent and reckless behavior.”