WATCH: Trump says sending National Guard to Chicago ‘probably next’

By Andrew Rice | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump said Monday that Chicago is “probably next” to see the National Guard sent in in an effort to crack down on crime.

Trump made the comment at an address in the oval office on Monday after officially announcing he would send the National Guard to Memphis, Tennessee.

Trump said he would send the National Guard, FBI, DEA and other federal agencies to be a replica of the administration’s crime fighting efforts in Washington, D.C.

“This team will have the full power of federal law enforcement,” Trump said.

Trump highlighted several statistics of crime in Memphis and said the city had the highest violent crime rate and property crime rate of any city in 2024. He also said the city had the third highest murder rate of any city in the nation in 2024.

Trump also said he had a conversation with a “very prominent” businessman who asked him to “save Chicago.”

“He said, ‘you’ve got to save Chicago, you can’t let it go,'” Trump recalled.

Trump said he was going to hold off on sending federal law enforcement into Chicago but feared he would “lose” the city if he doesn’t take action.

“Chicago is a great city and we’re going to make it great again very soon and I think we can do that, despite the tremendous size I think we can do a real job and we’re going to give you the resources that you need,” Trump said to members of his cabinet in the oval office.

Trump said “it’s not going to matter” if the governor of Illinois or mayor of Chicago cooperate with sending the National Guard into the city.

“You know who wants to help up? Police department, they have no respect for the governor, they have no respect for the mayor they respect us,” Trump said.