President Donald Trump escalated his confrontation with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, saying he is prepared to deploy federal forces to Chicago unless state and city leaders request help to curb violent crime. Speaking at an Aug. 26 Cabinet meeting, Trump called Chicago "in big trouble" and ridiculed Pritzker personally, repeating that the Democratic governor "should call me" for assistance. The White House backed the threat, with spokeswoman Abigail Jackson arguing that Illinois Democrats were "whining" instead of addressing public safety. Trump pointed to a weekend in which six people were killed and 27 wounded in shootings across the city as evidence that local authorities have lost control. Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and other Illinois Democrats condemned the potential National Guard deployment as unconstitutional and "un-American." They countered with city data showing a 33 percent decline in homicides and a 38 percent drop in shootings during the first half of 2025, along with a homicide clearance rate of 77.4 percent. The dispute comes as Trump has already mobilized about 2,200 National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., part of a broader initiative he says aims to make major U.S. cities safer. While asserting he would be "happy" to aid Illinois if formally asked, the president's personal attacks on Pritzker have deepened the political rift over how to confront Chicago's long-running violence.