CHICAGO – The Pentagon is reporting some National Guard units patrolling the nation’s capital are now carrying firearms. The development comes as a Washington Post article revealed the National Guard could be deployed to Chicago as early as next month to help with crime-fighting efforts.
Mayor Brandon Johnson spoke for the first time on the issue Sunday before attending an annual street festival in the city’s North Lawndale neighborhood.
Fox 32 reached out to the Pentagon and the Duty Officer of the Defense Press Operations sent over this statement:
“We won’t speculate on further operations. The Department is a planning organization and is continuously working with other agency partners on plans to protect federal assets and personnel.”
What we know:
President Donald Trump has stated the National Guard will be deployed to large cities with high crime rates. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton have both made statements indicating they did not request federal troops and will work to make sure they are not deployed in Illinois.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson addressed the issue Sunday in front of the media before attending the annual North Lawndale Route 66 Festival.
“What the president is attempting to do will be costly, illegal and unconstitutional,” Johnson said.
He indicated the city would take legal action if necessary to resist attempts to bring the National Guard to the city.
“The brave men and women who signed up to serve our country did not sign up to occupy American cities,” he added.
Independent Chicago crime statistics rank North Lawndale among the city’s top five neighborhoods with the most homicides in 2025.
Mayor Johnson touted the city’s success in lowering crime across the city.
“You’re in North Lawndale today where you’ve seen a 32% decrease in homicides. Shootings are down almost 40%. Shooting victims are down almost 40%… We’re moving in the right direction,” said Johnson.
Residents are saying:
“Yes, I feel safe in the city of Chicago. I’m born and raised in this neighborhood right here, in North Lawndale, and I have witnessed its development, its transition, its pivoting,” said lifelong resident Vincent Brown.
He believes the National Guard “could work” in the city to lower crime.
“Without order, there’s chaos. And I figuratively know that he’s [President Trump] going to bring a change that’s going to be felt by the mass population, that’s going to be beneficial for everyone,” said Brown.
Sheila Avery, another lifelong resident of North Lawndale had a different take.
“In 1968, when the riots were, I was in this community, and we had the National Guard on our block. They were stationed right in front of my home, and we were just so afraid of them. We were afraid to come outside, we were just frightened of the National Guard,” said Avery, who was 8 years old at the time.
Willie Cossom grew up in North Lawndale and says he feels safe in the neighborhood. He believes more investment and engagement with the city’s youth would be beneficial to driving down crime rates, although he’s not opposed to seeing the National Guard.
“I think it’s a double-edged sword. In some cases, it would be good, but for the most part, it wouldn’t really help,” said Cossom.
The Source: This story includes reporting from Fox 32’s Natalie Bomke.