Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson of Chicago demanded President Donald Trump push gun control during a Tuesday press conference after the president mulled sending federal troops to the Windy City.
Trump hinted at stepped-up federal enforcement efforts in Chicago in an Aug. 25 post on Truth Social, criticizing Johnson over Chicago’s crime rates. Johnson claimed that Republican-controlled states have a “gun problem” that fueled Chicago’s crime rate.
WATCH:
“We will never be able to end gun violence in Chicago as long as the president continues to allow tens of thousands of guns to be trafficked into our state and our city,” Johnson claimed during a Tuesday press conference with Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois. “The vast majority of guns do not come from Chicago. They are not made in Cook County. They are not bought in the state of Illinois. These guns come from red states. They are coming from Indiana. They are coming from Mississippi. They are coming from Louisiana. And that is the harsh reality, whether Republicans like it or not.”
“Occupying our city will do nothing to solve this problem. No matter how much work we do or how hard we work, whether it’s expanding our Detectives Bureau, investing in community violence intervention, and addressing the root causes of crime, none of it will ever be enough until the president decides to end the mass trafficking of guns in our city,” Johnson continued. “For every gun that the Chicago Police Department fights to get off the streets, two or three more new guns come into our city. Chicago will continue to have a violence problem as long as red states continue to have a gun problem. Shootings will continue as long as this presidential administration continues to put politics over people.”
Currently, provisions of 18 USC 922 and 18 USC 924 impose significant prison time for those convicted of firearms trafficking. Illinois also has some of the strictest gun-control laws in the country.
Chicago led the country in murders for the 13th straight year, totaling 572 in 2024, according to CWBChicago.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].
