Governor J.B. Pritzker rejected President Donald Trump's suggestion that Illinois request federal troops to address violence in Chicago, calling the premise demeaning and unacceptable. President Trump announced intentions to send forces to combat lawlessness after reports of numerous shootings over Labor Day weekend and said he would gain respect if a governor asked for help. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson oppose National Guard deployment and have moved to limit local cooperation with federal joint patrols, arrests, and immigration enforcement. Pritzker characterized the expectation that a governor must beg for federal resources as an insult to citizens.
When did we become a country where it's okay for the U.S. president to insist on national television that a state should call him to beg for anything, Pritzker said in a press conference. Especially something we don't want. Have we truly lost all sense of sanity that we treat this as normal?
I would love to have Gov. Pritzker call me I'd gain respect for him and say We do have a problem, and we'd love you to send in the troops,' Trump said. Because, you know what, the people they have to be protected.
It's an insult to any and every citizen to suggest that any governor should have to beg the president of any political party for resources owed their people, Pritzker said.
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