President Donald Trump stated he could use the Insurrection Act to address violent crime in Chicago, urging Governor JB Pritzker to request federal assistance. Speaking aboard Air Force One after a Middle East trip, Trump criticized local leadership and highlighted successes in other cities. He referenced ongoing legal challenges to his National Guard deployments.
President Donald Trump, returning from Egypt via Air Force One on October 14, 2025, discussed his potential use of the Insurrection Act to combat Chicago's crime wave. He praised Egypt's 'strong' approach to crime and suggested U.S. governors in high-crime areas emulate it. 'I want them to be stronger and tougher and not allow us to have record-breaking crime in Chicago and other places. I want them to admit they have a problem,' Trump told reporters.
Trump cited approximately 4,000 shootings in Chicago over about a year and a half, with many more people wounded but surviving. He contrasted this with improvements in Washington, D.C., where his administration removed 1,700 career criminals, leading to record safety and a restaurant boom, and Memphis, where National Guard deployment helped reduce crime.
Responding to questions about legal hurdles, Trump affirmed his authority under the Insurrection Act of 1807, which allows presidents to deploy military forces domestically to suppress civil disorder or rebellion. It has been used about 30 times by roughly 10 presidents, most recently by George H.W. Bush during the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Trump threatened its use in 2020 amid George Floyd protests but did not invoke it. He noted that former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, on ABC's 'This Week' with George Stephanopoulos, confirmed that 50% of presidents have used it and it cannot be challenged.
A recent court ruling on Saturday permitted National Guard troops sent to Illinois to stay but barred them from patrolling or protecting federal property. Trump said his administration is 'winning on appeal' and does not need the Act yet. Directly addressing Pritzker, who has resisted federal interventions, Trump said, 'I think he should beg for help because he’s running a bad operation.' He added that Chicago could be 'cleaned out' quickly under stronger measures, expressing affection for the city and confidence in restoring its greatness.