MSNBC host Joe Scarborough publicly urged Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker to set aside politics and work directly with President Donald Trump to address Chicago’s violent crime. During a recent segment, Scarborough called on Pritzker to take what he described as a “radical” but necessary step to restore order and safety to one of America’s most violent cities.
The comments followed a bloody Labor Day weekend in Chicago where 58 people were shot and eight were killed. Despite the ongoing violence, Governor Pritzker has repeatedly refused federal assistance, including offers from President Trump during his administration to send in National Guard units to restore peace.
Scarborough acknowledged the constitutional limits on presidential authority to deploy the National Guard to a city without the governor’s request, but emphasized that Pritzker should act in the best interest of Illinois residents. “This has to stop,” Scarborough said, suggesting a partnership between the Democratic governor and President Trump could break political gridlock and prioritize lives over party loyalty.
President Trump has long emphasized law and order, often highlighting the failure of progressive leadership in cities like Chicago. His prior offers to support local law enforcement in Democrat-run cities were often rebuffed by state leaders more concerned with optics than outcomes. Chicago continues to be plagued by gang violence, carjackings, and a demoralized police force operating under progressive prosecution policies.
Scarborough’s call for cooperation between Pritzker and Trump represents a rare acknowledgment from a left-leaning media figure that conservative-led solutions may offer the leadership necessary to confront urban lawlessness. For many conservatives, the ongoing deterioration of public safety in cities like Chicago confirms the dangers of progressive governance that prioritizes ideology over effective law enforcement.
