President Donald Trump has repeatedly raised the possibility of deploying National Guard troops to Chicago to help combat crime, as he did earlier in Washington, D.C.
"They are fighting us. I want to go into Chicago and [they] have this incompetent governor that doesn't want us," Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday. "Do you know that this weekend, 72 people were shot in Chicago? I'm embarrassed to say it in front of the president of Poland."
The meeting with reporters happened while he was also hosting Polish President Karol Nawrocki in the Oval Office.
Trump offered no timeline about troop deployment. He also pointed to the potential of sending the guard to New Orleans. "Do we go to Chicago or do we go to a place like New Orleans, where we have a great governor, Jeff Landry, who wants us to come in and straighten out a very nice section of this country that's become quite, you know, quite tough, quite bad."
The president claimed federal enforcement agents and guard troops could make quick work of crime in New Orleans. "We'll straighten that out in about two weeks. It'll take us two weeks. Easier than D.C."
But Chicago seems to be top of mind for the president as he went back to talking about the Windy City. "All they have to do is ask us to go into Chicago."
He added that Chicago residents should take a more active role in seeking help. "But I'll tell you who is supporting us, the people of Chicago. And I sort of want them to let it be known they have incompetent people."
Trump's use of National Guard troops drew another federal court rejection in California, with the ruling stating he did not have the authority to send troops into Los Angeles. The administration appealed Tuesday's decision within 24 hours. A similar ruling by the same judge in June was later put on hold by an appellate panel.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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