Vance Critiques Pritzker Over Chicago Crime Rate
Vice President J.D. Vance recently expressed strong criticism of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker regarding his handling of Chicago’s rising crime rates. During an interview with George Stephanopoulos on ABC’s “This Week,” Vance stated that Pritzker “deserves consequences” for the violence in the city.
“I think Governor Pritzker has allowed many people to be killed in Chicago and other areas,” Vance remarked. He further added that the situation is a “disgrace,” emphasizing that thousands of innocent Chicagoans have died due to what he views as Pritzker’s failure to fulfill his responsibilities.
Stephanopoulos then probed whether Vance agreed with former President Donald Trump’s assertion that Pritzker had committed a crime. Trump had previously suggested that Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson should face jail time for not adequately protecting ICE agents.
Pritzker Responds to Trump’s National Guard Deployment
In a statement at the White House, Trump labeled the inaction of elected officials as criminal. He was responding to a question about potentially instructing the Justice Department to consider charges against Pritzker and Johnson. Trump said, “If you have police officers stopping the security of ICE officers, that’s illegal,” referring to the challenges ICE has faced while conducting immigration raids in Chicago.
Trump reiterated his position in a subsequent post on Truth Social, declaring, “The Mayor of Chicago should be in jail for failing to protect his ICE workers! Governor Pritzker too!”
During the interview, Vance, while dodging questions about whether Pritzker had indeed committed a crime, reiterated his belief that the governor had neglected the safety of Illinois residents. “The murder rate in Chicago is alarming,” he pointed out, comparing it to violence found in some of the world’s most dangerous places.
Reports indicate that Chicago recorded 591 murders in 2024, making it the U.S. city with the highest murder rate that year, despite an overall drop in crime rates.
Amidst the rising tension, Trump dispatched 200 National Guard troops to Chicago, contrary to Pritzker’s and Johnson’s wishes. A state judge temporarily blocked the deployment, but a federal appeals court ruled that the National Guard could remain unless formally disbanded.
Vance urged Pritzker to stop hindering the National Guard’s involvement, arguing that the governor should focus his anger on the criminals instead. He stated, “We’re trying to help the residents of his biggest city. I hope he helps us, because he’s certainly not doing that job himself.”
Later, Pritzker appeared on “This Week,” accusing Vance of spreading falsehoods during his interview. “You’ve heard him on national television many times just making up stories,” he said.
