Chicago mayor brandon johnson: Pushes back against TRUMP’S Threats,35 People SHOT

A City and Its Mayor Under Pressure

Chicago, once again, is at the epicenter of a heated political showdown. Early today (August 31, 2025), the Trump administration signaled intentions to intensify federal operations in major Democratic-led cities—including Chicago—to address crime and immigration enforcement, borrowing tactics from earlier deployments in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. The move was framed as a response to civic disorder and border transgressions, yet triggered sharp backlash from local officials who decried the move as federal overreach and politically motivated intimidation. At the forefront of Chicago’s defiance stands Mayor Brandon Johnson, who has mobilized legal, political, and symbolic tools to resist what he calls “an unconstitutional invasion.” 

2. The Federal Push: ICE, National Guard, and Threats of Deployment

• Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that ICE would expand operations in Chicago, even requesting support from the nearby Naval Station Great Lakes. 

• Donald Trump threatened potential National Guard deployment to Chicago, echoing prior federal militarization in L.A. and D.C. But federal officials emphasized Chicago’s operation is focused on immigration—not crime—and did not necessarily involve the National Guard. 

• Reports surfaced of broad plans to deploy federal troops to multiple cities including Chicago, prompting mass concern. 

3. Johnson’s Unwavering Pushback

a) Executive Order and Legal Resistance

On August 30, 2025, Mayor Johnson signed an executive order that:

• Prohibits the Chicago Police Department (CPD) from assisting in immigration enforcement—disallowing patrols, traffic stops, or checkpoint collaboration with federal agents.

• Mandates clear identification: CPD officers must display their uniforms and badges; they are also barred from concealing their identities with masks or altered insignia.

• Mobilizes legal resources—determining to utilize “every legal mechanism” available, including litigation, to resist any unauthorized federal operations. 

Johnson, alongside Governor J.B. Pritzker, decried the proposal as unconstitutional and politically charged. Pritzker invoked the Posse Comitatus Act, stressing that federal troops cannot be deployed domestically for law enforcement purposes without state consent. 

b) Rhetorical Fight: Labeling Federal Tactics as “Terrorism”

In April 2025, Johnson responded to Trump’s threat to withhold federal funding by labeling it as “terrorism”—asserting:

“Trying to hold people hostage and manipulating them to succumb to his will … that is how terrorists behave. We’re not going to negotiate with terrorists.” 

This rhetorical escalation underscored the mayor’s resistance not just in policy but in framing the federal threats as an assault on democratic governance.

c) Numbers Tell Another Story: Crime Is Declining

The Trump administration’s narrative of Chicago as a crime-ridden hellscape stands in stark contrast with data showing significant improvements:

• Violent crime down 23% as of mid‑August.

• Murders fell 31% and shootings 37% in the first seven months of 2025 compared to 2024. 

• Johnson highlighted reductions of over 30% in homicides, 35% in robberies, and nearly 40% in shootings in one year. 

These statistics not only counter federal claims of chaos but also underpin the administration’s push for continued internal reforms and social investments over militaristic fixes.

d) A Broader Strategy: Accountability & Awareness

Beyond legal resistance, Johnson launched a public education campaign to inform Chicagoans of their rights in the face of potential federal detentions, raids, or checkpoints. He emphasized constitutional protections and clarified that the city would not cooperate with federal agents infringing on civil liberties. 

4. The “35 People Shot” Narrative: Context and Confusion

During one of his challenges to the Trump administration, Johnson referenced a weekend crime spike, quoting Trump’s post:

“Six people were killed, and 24 people were shot, in Chicago last weekend … ” 

This counts up to 30 people shot and killed, not 35. It seems the phrase “35 people SHOT” may be an over-generalized or slightly exaggerated reflection of the reported incident count. No credible source I’ve found confirms exactly 35 people shot in that period.

Instead, the more accurate figure—six killed and 24 shot—is already alarming but doesn’t precisely match “35 shot.” It may derive from cumulative counts across similar periods or misquote. Unless there’s a newer source clarifying a 35-person-shooting event, I recommend sticking to the confirmed data above.

5. Implications and Outlook

This confrontation between Chicago’s administration and federal rhetoric marks more than a political skirmish—it is a showdown over governance, local autonomy, and civil rights.

Local Authority vs. Federal Power

Johnson’s posture reflects not just resistance but a defense of enabling democracy from what he views as executive overreach. If unchallenged, deployments could set precedent for military or paramilitary operations in domestic cities.

Crime Policy: Prevention Over Coercion

Chicago’s decreasing violence trends show early success. Johnson advocates for reinvestment in community programs, outreach, and social infrastructure, rather than punitive federal militarization.

Political Ramifications

With midterms on the horizon, this battle amplifies the divide between federal and local partisan ideologies. It may energize voters on both sides—but may also embolden local leadership to deepen the sanctuary city ethos and reshape policing practices.

6. Conclusion

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s response to federal threats—anchored in legislative, procedural, rhetorical, and public commitment—reflects a calculated, multifaceted strategy aimed at preserving civil liberties, promoting grassroots safety strategies, and resisting politically charged overreach.

While the “35 people shot” figure appears imprecise in today’s context, the credible data shows Chicago’s violent crime is declining. Johnson’s resistance, far from mere theatrics, represents a strategic effort to balance immediate safety with constitutional and democratic integrity.