MSNBC host Joe Scarborough proposed a controversial solution Tuesday morning, September 2, following a violent Labor Day weekend in Chicago that left at least 54 people shot and at least seven killed across 37 separate incidents.
The “Morning Joe” co-host suggested that Illinois Governor JB Pritzker should “pick up the phone, call the president,” and propose a constitutional partnership to address crime in the city. Scarborough’s proposal came after President Donald Trump renewed threats to deploy federal troops to Chicago, similar to his recent deployment in Washington D.C.
Trump posted on Truth Social Tuesday morning, calling Chicago “the worst and most dangerous city in the World, by far” and stating that Pritzker “needs help badly, he just doesn’t know it yet.” The president pledged to solve the crime problem quickly, just as he claimed to have done in the nation’s capital.
Both Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson have consistently rejected Trump’s threats to expand federal crime operations into their city. The governor has called such deployments “un-American” and promised to sue the administration if troops were deployed, describing the potential action as an “invasion.” Johnson signed an executive order on Friday rejecting federal military intervention, stating that Chicago would resist what he termed an “unconstitutional and illegal military occupation.”
Despite their opposition, Scarborough argued that the Democratic leaders should reconsider their stance following the weekend violence. He criticized both officials for what he characterized as downplaying the city’s crime issues, particularly referencing a recent interview where Johnson repeatedly declined to acknowledge that additional police officers might reduce violence in Chicago.
The MSNBC host acknowledged Trump’s constitutional limitations while proposing a middle ground. He indicated that while the president lacks authority to deploy the National Guard in Chicago, unlike in Washington D.C., both leaders could work within constitutional boundaries to address public safety concerns. Scarborough suggested they could create a partnership that respects federalism principles while focusing on the most dangerous areas of the state.
Scarborough’s Tuesday position marked a shift from his comments the previous week, when he argued that Trump should focus attention away from Chicago. On August 26, he contended that seven or eight of the top 10 deadliest cities in America are typically located in red states, and Americans are “400 times more likely to be killed in Louisiana than in California.”
The host also criticized red state governors who have assisted Trump’s operations in Washington D.C. while their own cities face higher crime rates. He specifically mentioned Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, who dispatched National Guard troops to the capital despite Memphis having approximately twice the murder rate of Washington D.C.
Local officials have defended their crime reduction efforts, noting that total violent crime in Chicago has declined more than 20 percent over the past year. However, the Labor Day weekend violence underscored ongoing challenges, with incidents occurring across multiple neighborhoods throughout the city.
Trump has previously deployed federal forces to other locations during his presidency, including 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to California in June to address anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles.
The president has also threatened similar deployments to other major cities, including New York, as part of his broader crime crackdown strategy. His Washington D.C. operation involved deploying thousands of federal agents and National Guard troops to the capital last month.
Scarborough emphasized that his proposal would require both leaders to move beyond political positioning to focus on public safety. He suggested that effective governance requires politicians to create partnerships that protect citizens, regardless of party affiliations or previous disagreements.
