Editorial: Trump is a troll. But he's correct that lots of killing is going on in Chicago

As we wrote here last week, public safety must ultimately fall on the shoulders of Chicago mayors. More bureaucracy - in the form of the new stand-alone Department of Gun Violence Reduction - while well-intentioned, isn't the panacea to what plagues our city, especially as whoever is appointed head of this new department will enjoy too much independence from the mayor.

We need more accountability at the top, not less.

Earlier last week, another spat between President Donald Trump and Gov. JB Pritzker turned public safety into yet another partisan proxy battle.

"Lots of killing going on in Chicago," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "Why isn't Governor Pritzker calling me for help. I could make Chicago a safe city in ONE MONTH, in ONE YEAR, it would be one of the safest!!!"

When asked Monday for his response to the president's comments, Pritzker opted to pivot to federal politics, poking fun at Trump's algae-laden reflecting pool, which has nothing to do with public safety, and taking on the president's 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," he said.

To be fair, Pritzker didn't dismiss the violence itself. He said he was "deeply concerned" and noted that he has sought assistance from the FBI, DEA and ATF to combat guns, drugs and gangs.

Those are appropriate steps. But they were largely overshadowed by a campaign-like response focused on Trump, not the problem. Illinois residents would be better served hearing more about what state leaders are doing, what's working and what comes next.

Too often, when Trump injects himself into a debate, the conversation stops being about the issue and starts being about him. We can't allow ourselves to write off legitimate challenges because the wrong person pointed out the problem.

Over the Juneteenth holiday weekend, at least 40 people were shot - seven fatally - in Chicago. Peer cities like New York and Los Angeles continue to see improvement in crime reduction. But in 2026, Chicago backslid on what had been strikingly promising declines in shootings and murders.

We still have neighborhoods experiencing unacceptable levels of violence, while shootings, robberies and assaults continue to occur across the city-including on trains, in entertainment districts and even in neighborhoods many once considered insulated.

Thankfully, there also are examples of the kind of leadership the public deserves. Just look at what the Cook County Sheriff's team has been able to accomplish once officers were assigned duties on public transit. Since late March, about 50 sheriff's deputies have been patrolling the CTA daily, according to media reports.

The sheriff's office reports hundreds of arrests, dozens of fugitives apprehended and weapons recovered, along with declines in fare evasion and crime where deputies have been deployed.

Visible, consistent enforcement of quality-of-life offenses improve both the perception and reality of public safety on the CTA. It also illustrates how governments often move fastest only after public confidence has already been shaken.

Unfortunately, it also appeared to take a horrifying tragedy - a young woman set on fire aboard a Blue Line train - and a steady stream of robberies and assaults before officials responded with this level of urgency.

Public safety is too important to become another partisan proxy battle. Chicagoans don't need elected officials to score points against one another. They need elected officials to keep making their communities safer.

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