Axelrod Urges Pritzker Not to Play 2028 Politics as Trump Moves to Deploy Guard to Chicago

Former Obama adviser David Axelrod on Wednesday cautioned Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker against framing his response to President Donald Trump’s plan to send National Guard troops to Chicago as a move in 2028 presidential politics, urging cooperation with federal resources so long as they are appropriate and effective.

Axelrod made the comment during a discussion on CNN's "The Arena," as Pritzker continued to push back against the White House's announcement earlier the same day that it would deploy National Guard troops to the city to address violent crime.

"I have a lot of respect for J.B. Pritzker, but I think there is, I would be careful about playing '28 politics on this issue," Axelrod said. "The right answer is, 'We'll take all the help we can get as long as it's appropriate help, as long as it's stuff that will really help.'" He added that the National Guard is not trained or authorized to perform certain types of law-enforcement work.

Axelrod said states should seek resources that directly assist in reducing violent crime and pledged a posture of cooperation: "Send us the resources that we need. We want to work with you. If there are criminals, if there are people doing violent crimes here who are illegal immigrants, we want them out of our city. We'll work with you on that. I think that's the appropriate position to take."

Pritzker, a Democrat, has publicly criticized the federal proposal and pushed back against the idea that a National Guard deployment is the right remedy for Chicago's public-safety challenges. The White House announced the planned deployment Wednesday, stating it would send Guard personnel to assist local efforts to counter violent crime.

Axelrod's remarks reflect a caution often voiced by political advisers about allowing partisan or electoral considerations to shape responses to high-profile public-safety initiatives. He emphasized weighing the operational suitability of federal assistance and working across government lines when help is genuinely beneficial.

The debate over the deployment underscores broader tensions between the White House and some state leaders over federal involvement in local law enforcement and public-safety strategy. Axelrod's intervention frames the dispute as one that, he said, should prioritize practical results over political signaling as both sides navigate the offer of federal assistance.