President Donald Trump renewed his criticism of Chicago’s crime problems Monday, arguing that he could address the city’s public safety challenges “fast and permanently” after a weekend in which dozens of people were shot across the city, as reported [1] by The New York Post.
Trump made the comments in a post on Truth Social following reports of widespread violence in Chicago over the weekend.
“At least 39 people injured, 4 dead, in Chicago weekend shootings,” Trump wrote.
“Governor Pritzker, I, as President, can fix this. FAST and Permanently.”
“D.C., Memphis, New Orleans, all down to record lows, and quickly. CALL ME! President DJT.”
𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗱 𝗝. 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁 – 𝟭𝟮:𝟭𝟰 𝗣𝗠 𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝟬𝟲.𝟮𝟯.𝟮𝟲
🚨President Trump just posted below that he can rapidly and permanently end the deadly Chicago bloodshed that left 39 wounded and 4 dead over the weekend, just as he delivered… pic.twitter.com/DGhNhFOZjs [2]— Commentary Donald J. Trump Posts From Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) June 23, 2026 [3]
Trump’s statement came two days after he similarly suggested that Chicago could become one of the safest cities in the country if federal authorities were given a greater role in addressing crime.
While Trump [4] cited four fatalities in his post, Chicago police reported that six people were killed during the weekend violence, according to local reports.
The violence included a mass shooting in Chicago’s Princeton Park neighborhood during a Juneteenth celebration late Saturday night.
Police said two individuals inside a red SUV opened fire on a crowd shortly after 11 p.m. before fleeing the area.
Authorities initially reported 12 victims before later adding a 26-year-old man who suffered injuries but declined medical treatment. In total, 13 people were injured in the shooting.
Among those injured were a 32-year-old woman who was shot twice in the back and a 44-year-old man whose back was grazed by bullets.
Both were transported to area hospitals and were listed in stable condition.
Police also reported that a 17-year-old boy and a 22-year-old woman suffered gunshot wounds to the thigh, while a 32-year-old man sustained a gunshot wound to the head.
Chicago Alderman Anthony Beale responded to the incident by expressing concern for the community impacted by the shooting.
“I am heartbroken by the senseless shooting,” Beale said.
“In a matter of seconds, an ordinary summer night was shattered by gunfire.”
“Lives were upended, families were thrown into fear, and an entire community was reminded how quickly violence can change everything. No one should have to wonder if they or someone they love will make it home safely. This is the cruel reality of the mindless menace of gun violence in our city.”
Violence was also reported elsewhere across the city. Police said 18-year-old Aniyhas Jackson died after being shot on the West Side Saturday.
Authorities later arrested a 17-year-old boy in connection with that investigation.
In a separate incident, a 21-year-old man was fatally shot on Chicago’s South Side early Sunday morning, according to police.
Chicago has continued to grapple with gun violence despite ongoing crime-reduction efforts.
Police statistics cited by local media earlier this year indicated that more than 500 people had been shot in the city during the opening months of 2026, an increase of approximately 9 percent compared with the same period in 2025.
Trump’s comments quickly drew a response from Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who dismissed the president’s claims and questioned his ability to solve the city’s crime problems.
“This is the president that thought that he could hire an unqualified company to paint the reflecting pool, and then thought that it would just be free of algae. And yet days later, it turned into an algae sea,” Pritzker said.
“And this is the same president that did not know that the Strait of Hormuz could be closed, shuttered essentially, by Iran if he went to war with Iran.”
“I don’t think that we should be listening to this president about promises that he makes or that he has any idea how to protect us in the state of Illinois.”
The exchange reflects an ongoing dispute between Trump and Illinois officials over crime policy and federal involvement in public safety matters.
Trump has repeatedly criticized Chicago’s crime rates in recent years and has suggested federal intervention, including the use of the National Guard, to help restore order.
Last December, the Supreme Court blocked an effort by the Trump administration to deploy the National Guard to Chicago as part of an operation intended to protect Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
The administration had argued that federal law permitted the president to assume control of National Guard forces when regular federal personnel were insufficient to execute federal responsibilities.
In its ruling, the Supreme Court stated: “Thus, at least in this posture, the Government has not carried its burden to show that [the statute in question] permits the President to federalize the Guard in the exercise of inherent authority to protect federal personnel and property in Illinois.”
Pritzker has previously maintained that federal military assistance is not necessary to combat crime in the state.
“We’ve been fighting crime. We’ve been trying to prevent crime, and it’s been working,” the governor said in August 2025.