Trump, Miller Blast Pritzker as Chicago Violence Spirals

Trump, Miller Blast Pritzker as Chicago Violence Spirals

Written by David E. Smith

Chicago endured another bloody Labor Day weekend: eight people killed and 58 shot, including two teenagers. President Donald J. Trump responded by declaring, “Enough is enough… we’re going in,” signaling his willingness to send federal help to restore order in the city.

Trump contrasted Chicago’s spiraling violence with Washington, D.C., which he claimed is now a “safe zone” after federal intervention. “You can walk right down the middle of the street… you’re safe,” he told reporters.

U.S. Representative Mary Miller (R-Quincy) strongly backed Trump’s stance, telling Newsmax’s Todd Starnes that Democratic leaders have “failed the people.” She accused Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson of siding with “thugs, gang bangers, and illegals,” while neglecting law-abiding residents. “Chicago has become a war zone,” Miller warned. “The first role of government is to protect its citizens and President Trump has a proven record of doing that.” Watch the interview below:

Of course, Pritzker is firing back—calling Trump’s remarks “unhinged” and rejecting any suggestion that Illinois should “beg” the President to send troops. He went further, labeling Trump a “wannabe dictator.” And in a recent Face the Nation interview, Pritzker floated an outlandish conspiracy theory—claiming Trump might try to “stop the 2026 elections” by deploying the National Guard to seize control. He offered no evidence whatsoever, yet framed it as a looming threat to democracy.

Ironically, critics noted his willingness to deploy the National Guard to protect political allies during the Democratic National Convention, while refusing the same protection for Chicago families and businesses.

Even MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough acknowledged the crisis in Chicago, urging Pritzker to partner with Trump for the sake of public safety. Polls show more than 60% of Democrats nationwide see urban crime as a major problem.

Miller argued that Democrat policies, such as Illinois’ controversial SAFE-T Act and open borders, invite chaos and drive families and businesses out of the state. “The people want safety,” she said. “It’s time to vote the Democrats out of office.”

Could it be any clearer? Illinois Democrats have chosen crime, chaos, and cartels over law-abiding citizens.

Boycott Legacy Media

During this short interview, she also called on conservatives to join the legacy media boycott, saying:

…the people in Illinois need to vote the Democrats out of office. They have done nothing for them. And I would encourage people to boycott legacy media because these people have gotten in control and because legacy media has never made them defend their policies.

And so let’s have a boycott of legacy media. If people start getting the truth, they will start voting differently. And also he’s [Pritzker] basically demanding that people deny reality. I mean, the people there are suffering. The families that have lost loved ones, I can’t even imagine the pain. The communities are scared. Businesses cannot operate and they’re leaving – anybody that can – joining the Exodus out of Illinois. I believe a million people have left in recent years, and many big profitable businesses have left along with corporations.

Congresswoman Miller is right to sound the alarm about the biased reporting of legacy media. For decades, the so-called “mainstream” outlets have shielded failed policies and excused lawless leadership in Illinois and beyond. They downplay the suffering of families, vilify anyone who questions the Left’s narrative, and refuse to hold Democrats accountable for rising crime, failing public schools, open borders and excessive taxes.

A boycott of these outlets would starve the Left’s propaganda machines that survive on the attention and clicks of the very people they deceive. If Christians and conservatives turn instead to news sources committed to truth, legacy media will lose both its influence and its power to protect corrupt politicians.

Public trust in traditional media has plunged to historic lows, giving real weight to calls for a boycott. A Gallup survey from late 2024 found that only 31% of Americans said they had a “great deal” or “fair amount” of trust in mass media—setting record lows over decades of polling.

Worse still, 36% now say they have no trust AT ALL in mainstream outlets. Another YouGov poll from early 2025 confirms this erosion: just 29% trust media to report fully, accurately, and fairly, while more people trust the Trump administration to do so. Even media watchers recognize the decline—journalist Bret Baier blamed Trump-era rhetoric for deeply damaging public confidence in the press.

A boycott of legacy media isn’t just symbolic—it’s a strategic withdrawal from platforms that have lost credibility with the very audiences they claim to serve. Below you will find a few suggestions for news sources. This is certainly not an exhaustive list.

Illinois News Sources:

Illinois Center Square
Illinois Policy Institute
Prairie State Wire

Illinois Focused Podcasts:

Illinois Family Spotlight
Illinois in Focus
Illinois Freedom Caucus
Chicago Morning Answer
The Chicago Way with John Kass
The Real Story with Jeanne Ives
Awake Illinois

National News Sources:

American Family News (AFN)
The Washington Stand
Harbinger’s Daily
The Epoch Times
NTD News
The Daily Signal
The Daily Wire
Fox News & Fox Business
Newsmax
One America News Network (OANN)
The Washington Times