President Donald Trump posted edited and AI-generated videos on Truth Social Wednesday night, mocking Democrats such as California Governor Gavin Newsom, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, and California Senator Adam Schiff.
Trump also posted two videos celebrating Cracker Barrel&#8217;s decision to forego changing its logo after backlash from customers and a phone call with the president. Trump&#8217;s social media blast began just after 10:00 p.m. ET Wednesday, when he posted a short clip of Sen. Schiff speaking on NBC&#8217;s &#8220;Meet the Press.&#8221; The video of Schiff, whom Trump calls &#8220;Pencil Neck,&#8221; was edited to make the senator&#8217;s neck extremely long.
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Around 15 minutes later, Trump posted a video of himself dancing while a CNN host talks about <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/leftists-panic-even-nyt-says-democrats-face-voter-registration-crisis">massive losses</a> for Democrats and gains for Republicans with voter registration.
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At 9:20 p.m., the president posted a video showing a pole vaulter with his head superimposed, soaring over a banner featuring the new Cracker Barrel logo. In the video, poll vaulter Trump rips down the new logo to reveal a banner with the traditional &#8220;Uncle Herschel&#8221; Cracker Barrel imagery. Trump also posted a video that had been going around X last week, showing the president dancing to &#8220;Y.M.C.A.&#8221; with Uncle Herschel.
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Trump then ripped into Democrats with multiple posts, including an AI-generated video showing Governor Pritzker sumo wrestling with former New Jersey Republican Governor Chris Christie, set to the &#8220;Chariots of Fire&#8221; theme in the background. Trump and Pritzker have traded barbs over the past week as the president mulls deploying the National Guard to Chicago to address the city&#8217;s violent crime. Trump&#8217;s son, Eric, posted a <a href="https://x.com/EricTrump/status/1963091795472240874">video</a> on X earlier this week that showed him stepping onto the dohyō against a sumo wrestler.
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The president also went after Governor Newsom. In one video, Newsom&#8217;s head is superimposed on a man who&#8217;s slapping and kicking a punching bag with Trump&#8217;s image on it. The AI-image of Newsom lets out girlish yelps that wouldn&#8217;t be out of place at a Jonas Brothers reunion tour as he serves up dainty palm-slaps.
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Another clip mocking Newsom shows the governor saying that he received &#8220;Trump 2028&#8221; hats in the mail. The video was edited to place one of the hats on Newsom&#8217;s head.
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Trump often rages against Democrats, the legacy media, and sometimes fellow Republicans on Truth Social, but Wednesday night was especially active — even for the president. The meme dump attacking Democrats comes as the party attempts to paint Trump as an authoritarian dictator who is seeking to grab more power by using the military to crack down on crime in big cities.
Newsom&#8217;s press office X account, which has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gavin-newsom-is-embracing-a-new-social-media-strategy-as-2028-rumors-swirl-trump-parodies">focused</a> on posting memes and rants mocking Trump in recent weeks, posted a picture of an overweight Trump shortly after the president&#8217;s meme rampage on Wednesday night.
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— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovPressOffice/status/1963431098505142700?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Some on the Left have questioned Trump&#8217;s health after he was diagnosed with a condition that causes swelling in his legs. The president has also been pictured with bruising on his hand. Some people even speculated over the weekend that Trump had died or was suffering from a severe illness.
On Wednesday, Trump <a href="https://abc7.com/post/president-donald-trump-addresses-health-rumors-days-public-events/17729308/">responded</a> to the rumors, saying that he was &#8220;very active over the weekend.&#8221;

Donald Trump

Trump Goes On Late-Night Meme Rampage Mocking Democrats

Adam Schiff

Democrats

Gavin Newsom

General

JB Pritzker

Politics

Governor JB Pritzker (D-IL) blew off concerns about the rampant crime in Chicago, saying that &#8220;big cities have crime&#8221; and the real problem was still President Donald Trump.
Pritzker has been sparring with Trump of late over the president&#8217;s threat to send National Guard troops to Chicago, hoping to clean up the city in much the same way he did in Washington, D.C., and has said that he&#8217;s doing well enough without bringing in the Guard.
Pritzker responded to a reporter who noted that he&#8217;d likely face more pointed questions after an especially deadly Labor Day weekend — according to ABC News, there were 37 separate <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/58-shot-weekend-chicago-governor-rejects-trumps-threat/story?id=125134744">shootings</a> between Friday evening and Monday night — that left 58 shot and eight dead.
WATCH:
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REPORTER: &#8220;This past weekend, 54 shot, 7 dead&#8230;&#8221;<a href="https://twitter.com/GovPritzker?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovPritzker</a>: &#8220;Big cities have crime&#8221;
President Trump finds this completely unacceptable — and his success in Washington, D.C. has proven that Americans don&#8217;t have to live this way. <a href="https://t.co/vaKj5fxvSa">pic.twitter.com/vaKj5fxvSa</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1962949118088675839?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;You&#8217;re going to hear people, especially after this past weekend — 54 shot, seven dead,&#8221; the reporter began. &#8220;They&#8217;re going to say the city&#8217;s not safe. Would you ask your friends to ride the El [elevated train] after midnight? You know, or after nine o&#8217;clock at night, even, to go down to the city from O&#8217;Hare [International Airport]?&#8221;
&#8220;Look, big cities have crime, there&#8217;s no doubt about it,&#8221; Pritzker said, before pivoting to attack Trump. &#8220;But let&#8217;s just pay attention to what President Trump is doing, targeting Chicago. He&#8217;s overlooking red states that have much higher crime rates.&#8221;
Pritzker has made that argument several times before, arguing that some of the cities with the highest crime rates are in red states — and he is correct, but leaves out the fact that of the 20 cities with the highest murder rates, all but one are controlled by Democrats. St. Louis, for example, currently has the highest murder rate and is in a very red state — Missouri — but is run by a Democrat, Mayor Cara Spencer.

DES MOINES – JANUARY 15: Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker speak

‘Big Cities Have Crime’: Dem 2028 Hopeful Blows Off Deadly Chicago Weekend, Attacks Trump

'Big Cities Have Crime': Dem 2028 Hopeful Blows Off Deadly Chicago Weekend, Attacks Trump

Chicago

Crime

Illinois

Chicago&#8217;s mayor leads protests against President Trump&#8217;s potential crime crackdown as judges block the deportation of illegal immigrants. India cozies up to China and Russia at a summit in Beijing, a major foreign policy challenge for the Trump administration as a federal court strikes down his tariffs. The FDA moves to ban a potent, opioid-like substance called 7-OH that is being sold in gas stations and marketed to kids.
It’s Tuesday, September 2, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
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If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
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<h2>Chicago Mayor Fights Trump Crime Crackdown</h2>
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Topline: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is leading protests against President Trump&#8217;s potential federal crime crackdown in his city, while Democrat-appointed judges are blocking the administration&#8217;s efforts to deport illegal immigrants.
After President Trump signaled that Chicago would be the next target of a federal crime crackdown similar to the one in Washington, D.C., Mayor Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker have threatened non-cooperation and legal action. Pritzker called a potential deployment of the National Guard an &#8220;invasion,&#8221; and Johnson has preemptively ordered Chicago police not to cooperate with any federal law enforcement. The moves have drawn criticism from some local Democrats who argue the city should be coordinating with the federal government to reduce crime.
Meanwhile, the administration&#8217;s deportation efforts are being stalled in the courts. On Sunday, a Biden-appointed judge blocked the deportation of 76 Guatemalan children. Last week, an Obama-appointed judge halted the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an alleged MS-13 gang member. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted a clip of a recent CBS News interview, noting that the network edited out the serious allegations against Abrego Garcia, including that he is a &#8220;known human smuggler&#8221; and a &#8220;wife beater&#8221; who &#8220;solicited nude photos from minors.&#8221;
<h2>India Tilts Toward China, Russia as Court Strikes Down Trump Tariffs</h2>
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Topline: In a major foreign policy challenge for the Trump administration, India’s Prime Minister joined the leaders of China and Russia for a summit in Beijing, signaling a potential realignment as a U.S. federal court struck down many of President Trump’s global tariffs.
This week, Chinese President Xi Jinping is hosting a summit with leaders from across Asia and the Middle East. A rare public display of unity between Xi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is setting off &#8220;alarm bells in Washington.&#8221; The move is seen as a direct response to Trump&#8217;s 50% tariffs on Indian goods and signals that India is willing to work with U.S. adversaries if its relationship with Washington deteriorates.
The summit comes as a federal appeals court dealt a major blow to Trump&#8217;s signature trade policy. On Friday, the court ruled that the president was not justified in using emergency powers to unilaterally impose his global tariffs. Trump responded over the weekend, warning, &#8220;More than 15 Trillion Dollars will be invested in the USA&#8230; If a Radical Left Court is allowed to terminate these Tariffs, almost all of this investment&#8230; will be immediately cancelled!” The ruling allows the tariffs to remain in effect until at least October, giving the Supreme Court time to potentially hear the case.
<h2>FDA Moves to Ban Opioid-Like ‘Kratom’ Product</h2>
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Topline: The FDA is taking emergency action to ban 7-OH, a potent, opioid-like substance derived from the kratom plant that is being sold in gas stations and vape shops and aggressively marketed to children.
The FDA has recommended that 7-OH be classified as a Schedule I controlled substance, which would make it illegal to sell or possess. The agency says the compound is an opioid, up to 13 times more potent than morphine, and carries significant health risks, including addiction and overdose. FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary issued a stark warning that the substance &#8220;may be the fourth wave of the opioid epidemic.&#8221;
The products are sold in forms that are appealing to kids, such as fruit-flavored gummies, vapes, and even ice cream cones, often without clear or accurate labeling. There is currently no federal age restriction on the products. The move to ban the substance comes after a number of anecdotal reports of addiction and death, including a Georgia two-year-old who had to be revived with Narcan after accidentally ingesting a 7-OH product marketed as an &#8220;energy pill.&#8221; Several states, led by Florida and Ohio, are also moving to ban or restrict the substance.

MRN 9.02.25 Thumbnail V1

Morning Brief: Chicago Crime, Beijing Summit, FDA Moves To Ban ‘Kratom’

Brandon Johnson

Communist China

Drugs

Global Politics

Illegal Immigration

India

Russia

U.S.

Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez (D-15th Ward) lashed out at Mayor Brandon Johnson (D-Chicago) and Governor JB Pritzker (D-IL) during a recent appearance on NewsNation, saying that their insistence on engaging in a political battle with President Donald Trump over crime was sending a message to the people that the victims did not matter.
Lopez pressed Johnson and Pritzker to instead work with President Trump and get any help he might offer in order to make the streets of Chicago safer for the people who live there.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨NEW: Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez *TORCHES* Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gov J.B. Pritzker for not collaborating with TRUMP to crack down on crime🚨
&#8220;How many victims are we comfortable with? Because that&#8217;s ultimately the subtext of what the mayor and the governor are saying is… <a href="https://t.co/7WzOBG4Akr">pic.twitter.com/7WzOBG4Akr</a>
— Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonJournoDC/status/1962536060237255044?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;We should be working to make sure that we are in coordination with each other,&#8221; Lopez said. &#8220;There&#8217;s nothing stopping the mayor of the city of Chicago, the governor of the state of Illinois, from picking up the phone and reaching out to the President of the United States and saying, &#8216;What can we do to be on the same page?'&#8221;
&#8220;We should all be looking to continuously decrease the number of victims in our city and in our state, and instead we&#8217;re getting into this tit-for-tat social media back and forth nonsense, which is only putting the people of Chicago and the people of Illinois in the middle, in the crosshairs of criminals who are going to use this time to exploit and go crazy as we&#8217;re continuing to see this weekend where we&#8217;ve had multiple mass shootings,&#8221; he continued.
The outlet then showed a graphic recounting the crime stats from Labor Day weekend in Chicago, where there were 31 shootings, seven shooting deaths, 52 people shot, and only three persons of interest identified or arrested.
&#8220;I hear the governor talking about an &#8216;invasion,&#8217; an &#8216;insurrection,&#8217; I hear the mayor writing useless orders against the federal government,&#8221; he added. &#8220;But what no one is talking about is, if our crime stats are decreasing, why can&#8217;t we push with Donald Trump&#8217;s help and decrease them even more? How many victims are we comfortable with? Because that&#8217;s ultimately the subtext of what the mayor and the governor are saying is that we are comfortable with the amount of victims we have right now. We don&#8217;t need to improve on our numbers any further than that.&#8221;
Pritzker, just as Lopez suggested, had touted the progress made in Illinois as recently as Sunday morning during an appearance on CBS News&#8217; &#8220;Face the Nation.&#8221;

Chicago Alderman Blows Up At Mayor, Governor Over ‘Tit-For-Tat’ With Trump Over Crime

Media

A growing number of Blue State governors have begun to draw battle lines over President Donald Trump&#8217;s use of National Guard troops and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to clean up violent crime — and expedite the deportation of criminal illegals — in major cities all across the country.
For those who don&#8217;t spend their Sunday mornings glued to the television — and their Sunday afternoons attempting to dig through a week&#8217;s worth of network and cable news media spin — The Daily Wire has compiled a short summary of what you may have missed.
Governor Wes Moore (D-MD) joined host Martha Raddatz on ABC&#8217;s &#8220;This Week,&#8221; and he began by blaming Trump for the animosity between them and claiming that he would &#8220;love&#8221; help from the Trump administration to clean up his city.
Moore, who just recently claimed that his state was perfectly safe and effectively <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/stop-talking-and-get-to-work-trump-targets-top-dem-governor-in-sunday-morning-scolding">dared Trump</a> to go for a walk with him to prove it, told Raddatz he would welcome help from Trump to reduce the crime rate in Baltimore &#8220;instead of this arrogant criticism and cynicism that he continues to introduce into the conversation.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore told <a href="https://twitter.com/MarthaRaddatz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MarthaRaddatz</a> that he would “love” help from President Trump to continue crime reduction efforts in Baltimore “instead of this arrogant criticism and cynicism that he continues to introduce into the conversation.” <a href="https://t.co/ck8wwBFBP4">https://t.co/ck8wwBFBP4</a> <a href="https://t.co/iduozQAoyG">pic.twitter.com/iduozQAoyG</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/1962162763565858834?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Moore continued to buck Trump&#8217;s suggestion that the National Guard ought to play a role, arguing that the military should not be utilized in that fashion. Trump has argued that since their deployment in Washington, D.C., has been quite effective, the same should be done in other major cities with similar crime problems.
&#8220;As the commander in chief of the Maryland National Guard, I am not just deeply respectful, but very cognizant of the skill sets that our national guards bring. And the National Guard is not trained for municipal policing,&#8221; Moore told Raddatz.
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“As the commander in chief of the Maryland National Guard, I am not just deeply respectful, but very cognizant of the skill sets that our national guards bring. And the National Guard is not trained for municipal policing,” Gov. Wes Moore said. <a href="https://t.co/tvpdB5DCpf">https://t.co/tvpdB5DCpf</a> <a href="https://t.co/Vt3dzrlvyb">pic.twitter.com/Vt3dzrlvyb</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/1962168471334125680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The Maryland Governor — who has been floated as a potential Democratic presidential candidate in 2028 — went on to defend his criticisms of Trump, arguing that he was only doing it in the service of the people in his state: &#8220;I have no interest in fighting with the president, but I have an interest in fighting for my communities and fighting for our people.&#8221;
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Maryland Gov. Wes Moore defended his rhetoric against Pres. Trump over crime in Baltimore amid their escalating feud: “I have no interest in fighting with the president, but I have an interest in fighting for my communities and fighting for our people.” <a href="https://t.co/ePGtbHEyNN">https://t.co/ePGtbHEyNN</a> <a href="https://t.co/CNkY5sihDc">pic.twitter.com/CNkY5sihDc</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/1962173528439980338?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
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On CBS News&#8217; broadcast of &#8220;Face the Nation,&#8221; Governor JB Pritzker (D-IL) took a remarkably similar posture. While claiming he&#8217;d welcome help from the federal government to address violent crime, Pritzker also claimed that his state — even Chicago — was making great progress and said he&#8217;d fight back if Trump&#8217;s help came in the form of ICE agents or the National Guard.
&#8220;They&#8217;ll be in court pretty quickly,&#8221; he said of the Trump administration.
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Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker says he hopes the Trump administration doesn’t send National Guard troops, along with ICE and other federal agents, to Chicago in the coming weeks as part of its crackdown on crime, but if it does, “they&#8217;ll be in court pretty quickly,” he warns.
“That… <a href="https://t.co/BV9AfXkuoa">pic.twitter.com/BV9AfXkuoa</a>
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/1962183512280240349?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Pritzker went on to chastise Trump for pointing out the violent crime rampant in Chicago, claiming instead that the biggest crime problems were in red states. What he did not mention was the fact that those cities were almost all controlled by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jb-pritzker-tries-to-fact-check-trump-gets-his-backside-handed-to-him-by-grok-instead">Democratic mayors</a>.
&#8220;He wakes up in the morning and whatever whim strikes him is what he apparently says. And recently, I guess, I&#8217;ve been living rent-free in his head. Notice he never talks about where the most violent crime is occurring, which is in red states,&#8221; Pritzker said.
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In response to President Trump calling Chicago “a hellhole” in recent days, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker says the city “apparently is living rent-free” in the president’s head.
“He wakes up in the morning and whatever whim strikes him is what he apparently says. And recently, I… <a href="https://t.co/3qip71RBZU">pic.twitter.com/3qip71RBZU</a>
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/1962183906737717458?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Pritzker claimed he &#8220;would love more help&#8221; from the Trump administration, but added, &#8220;We don&#8217;t want troops on the streets of American cities.&#8221;
&#8220;He&#8217;s taking away federal funding for those programs, which are so important to us. We&#8217;ve increased funding at the state level, but we need that federal funding,&#8221; Pritzker said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Illinois “would love more help” from federal agents to fight crime across the state and in the city of Chicago, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker says. But he pushes back on the Trump administration’s potentially sending National Guard troops to Chicago to assist law enforcement, telling… <a href="https://t.co/kGzCMnspPT">pic.twitter.com/kGzCMnspPT</a>
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/1962184196195049852?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
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He went on to compare Trump to Hitler, explaining, &#8220;I built a Holocaust museum. I know what the history was of a constitutional republic being overturned, after an election, in 53 days. And I&#8217;m very, very concerned. It&#8217;s thwart the media. It&#8217;s create mayhem that requires military interdiction. These are things that happen throughout history, and Donald Trump is just following that playbook.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Gov. JB Pritzker (D-IL) when asked if he believes President Trump is an authoritarian:
“I built a Holocaust museum. I know what the history was of a constitutional republic being overturned, after an election, in 53 days. And I&#8217;m very, very concerned,” he says. “It&#8217;s thwart the… <a href="https://t.co/pCqgYz9oiF">pic.twitter.com/pCqgYz9oiF</a>
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/1962184916780621855?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The Illinois Governor — who has also been rumored to have presidential aspirations — then claimed that shootings were also &#8220;down significantly&#8221; in Chicago before he pivoted to push for even more gun control.
&#8220;I very much believe that people who have a right to own a gun should be able to go get one, but that you&#8217;ve got to have universal background checks. You&#8217;ve got to make sure that you&#8217;re not selling guns that give someone the ability to commit a mass attack, in a school or anywhere else,&#8221; he said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Asked how Illinois’ new gun laws will help stop shootings at churches and schools, Gov. JB Pritzker says shootings “are down significantly” in the city of Chicago and across the state.
“I very much believe that people who have a right to own a gun should be able to go get one,… <a href="https://t.co/skjNOG0CC1">pic.twitter.com/skjNOG0CC1</a>
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/1962184958094565807?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Donald Trump Campaigns For President In Georgia Ahead Of November Election

Spin Cycle: Blue State Governors Draw Battle Lines

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

National Guard

Violent Crime

Wes Moore

Governor JB Pritzker (D-IL) attempted to deliver a fact-check to President Donald Trump on violent crime in cities like Chicago, but X&#8217;s &#8220;AI assistant&#8221; Grok quickly set him straight.
The exchange began when Trump — who has said that he&#8217;ll send National Guard troops to Chicago to help clean up the rampant crime — posted a <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115098161051613732">comment</a> on his Truth Social platform criticizing Pritzker and Democratic Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson over the violent crime in the city.
&#8220;A really DEADLY weekend in Chicago. 6 DEAD, 27 HURT IN CRIME SPREES ALLOVER THE CITY. Panic stricken Governor Pritzker says that crime is under control, when in fact it is just the opposite,&#8221; Trump posted. &#8220;He is an incompetent Governor who should call me for HELP. Mayor Johnson is no better. Make Chicago Great Again!&#8221;
Pritzker swooped in then, claiming that Trump was wrong to blame Democrats because a number of the cities with the highest homicide rates are in red states.
&#8220;According to federal data, 13 of the top 20 cities in homicide rates have Republican governors. None of those cities are Chicago,&#8221; Pritzker said. &#8220;8 of the top 10 states in homicide rates are led by Republicans. None of those states are Illinois. And yet Trump is sending troops here.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
According to federal data, 13 of the top 20 cities in homicide rates have Republican governors. None of those cities are Chicago.
8 of the top 10 states in homicide rates are led by Republicans. None of those states are Illinois.
And yet Trump is sending troops here. <a href="https://t.co/g75fR5aItA">pic.twitter.com/g75fR5aItA</a>
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovPritzker/status/1960869680903496187?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
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But when someone responded to Pritzker by inviting @grok to join the conversation and clear up some of the details — and to address which party was in control of the cities with the high homicide rates — the AI-generated response made it clear that Pritzker&#8217;s attempted fact-check had landed wide of the mark. Nearly every city in the top 20 for homicides in 2024 — all but one, in fact — was controlled by Democrats.
&#8220;Based on 2024 data (RIT study), top 20 US cities by homicide rate per 100k, with mayors &amp; parties (D=Democrat, R=Republican; note nonpartisan races but known affiliations): 1. St. Louis MO (54.4) &#8211; Cara Spencer (D); 2. New Orleans LA (34.7) &#8211; LaToya Cantrell (D); 3. Detroit MI (32.1) &#8211; Mike Duggan (D); 4. Washington DC (27.3) &#8211; Muriel Bowser (D); 5. Atlanta GA (24.7) &#8211; Andre Dickens (D); 6. Indianapolis IN (23.8) &#8211; Joseph Hogsett (D); 7. Richmond VA (23.0) &#8211; Danny Avula (D); 8. Chicago IL (21.7) &#8211; Brandon Johnson (D); 9. Compton CA (20.1) &#8211; Emma Sharif (D); 10. Oakland CA (18.6) &#8211; Barbara Lee (D); 11. Hartford CT (18.4) &#8211; Arunan Arulampalam (D); 12. Rochester NY (18.0) &#8211; Malik Evans (D); 13. Syracuse NY (15.2) &#8211; Sharon Owens (D); 14. Greensboro NC (14.1) &#8211; Nancy Vaughan (D); 15. Dallas TX (14.0) &#8211; Eric Johnson (R); 16. Buffalo NY (13.9) &#8211; Christopher Scanlon (D); 17. Pittsburgh PA (13.8) &#8211; Edward Gainey (D); 18. Newark NJ (12.2) &#8211; Ras Baraka (D); 19. Denver CO (8.4) &#8211; Mike Johnston (D); 20. Los Angeles CA (7.1) &#8211; Karen Bass (D).&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Based on 2024 data (RIT study), top 20 US cities by homicide rate per 100k, with mayors &amp; parties (D=Democrat, R=Republican; note nonpartisan races but known affiliations):
1. St. Louis MO (54.4) &#8211; Cara Spencer (D) 
2. New Orleans LA (34.7) &#8211; LaToya Cantrell (D) 
3. Detroit MI…
— Grok (@grok) <a href="https://twitter.com/grok/status/1961006732723068973?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
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JB Pritzker Tries To Fact-Check Trump, Gets His Backside Handed To Him By Grok Instead

Illinois Democratic Governor JB Pritzker hit back at President Donald Trump on Monday, as the president considers deploying the National Guard to Chicago.
Trump said in the Oval Office that he would like to work with Democratic governors and mayors to deploy the National Guard to major cities to address violent crime. Pritzker <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q04p3OJdhpU&amp;list=RDNSQ04p3OJdhpU&amp;start_radio=1">responded</a> to Trump’s comments during a press conference with local and state Democratic leaders, saying that Trump and the National Guard are “neither wanted here nor needed here.”
“If this was really about fighting crime or making the streets safe, what possible justification could the White House have for planning such an exceptional action without any conversations or consultations with the governor, the mayor, or the police?” Pritzker asked. “Let me answer that question. This is not about fighting crime. This is about Donald Trump searching for any justification to deploy the military in a blue city in a blue state to try to intimidate his political rivals.”
The Illinois governor said that Trump’s plans to deploy the National Guard to Chicago are “exactly the type of overreach that our country’s founders warned against.”
“Earlier today in the Oval Office, Donald Trump looked at the assembled cameras and asked for me personally to say, ‘Mr. President, can you do us the honor of protecting our city?’” Priztker added. “Instead, I say, ‘Mr. President, do not come to Chicago. You are neither wanted here nor needed here.’”
While Trump has not officially taken any step toward deploying the National Guard or federal law enforcement agents to Chicago, he said last week that the Windy City would be “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-chicago-is-next-for-d-c-style-federal-law-enforcement-operation">next</a>” after he ordered the National Guard and federal agents to address violent crime in the nation’s capital. On Monday, the president <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/that-guy-is-a-disaster-trump-rips-into-another-blue-state-governor-with-presidential-dreams">continued</a> his calls for a National Guard deployment in Chicago, adding that he would prefer that Democratic leaders ask him to send in the troops.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">End of Summer Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
“You really want to be asked to go, you know,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “I hate to barge in on a city and then be treated horribly by corrupt politicians and bad politicians, like a guy like Pritzker. He ought to spend more time at the gym, actually.”
“That guy is a disaster,” he added.
Among U.S. cities with more than one million residents, Chicago has faced the highest murder rate for seven straight years, according to <a href="https://www.rit.edu/liberalarts/sites/rit.edu.liberalarts/files/docs/CPSI%20Working%20Papers/2025-02_CPSI%20Working%20Paper_US%20City%20Homicide%20Stats.pdf">data</a> put together by the Rochester Institute of Technology and <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/08/yes-chicago-has-a-crime-problem-just-ask-its-residents/">cited</a> by the White House. In 2024, Chicago had a homicide rate of 21.7 per 100,000 people. Chicago’s murder rate was three times higher than that of Los Angeles and more than five times higher than New York’s. The Trump administration is also reportedly considering sending in the National Guard to address violent crime in Los Angeles and New York City.
Trump enraged Democrats when he sidestepped California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom to deploy the National Guard to Los Angeles earlier this summer as parts of the county faced violent anti-ICE protests. Newsom sued the Trump administration over the National Guard deployment, and the <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/national-guard-los-angeles-deployment-trial-day-3/">decision</a> in that case is currently pending before a federal judge.

‘Do Not Come To Chicago’: Pritzker Fires Back At Trump’s Threat To Deploy National Guard

President Donald Trump took a swipe at Governor JB Pritzker (D-IL) as he touted the success of his crime crackdown in Washington, D.C. — and discussed the possibility of sending National Guard troops to other cities in the hopes of seeing similar results.
Trump began by saying that it was not his intent to have the National Guard &#8220;barge in on&#8221; cities — and that it would be better if mayors or governors who clearly needed help would ask for it — but that the results in the nation&#8217;s capital spoke for themselves.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &#8220;I hate to barge in on a city and then be treated horribly by corrupt politicians&#8230;
Take a look at D.C. &#8230; For eleven days, there have been NO murders.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/EZKVcnYbXS">pic.twitter.com/EZKVcnYbXS</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1959995167798378785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;You really want to be asked to go, you know,&#8221; he began. &#8220;I hate to barge in on a city and then be treated horribly by corrupt politicians and bad politicians, like a guy like Pritzker. He ought to spend more time at the gym, actually.&#8221;
&#8220;That guy is a disaster,&#8221; he continued, swinging at Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) and legacy media as well. &#8220;Gavin Newsom&#8217;s a disaster. When we went — we saved Los Angeles, you wouldn&#8217;t have been able to have the Olympics in Los Angeles, you&#8217;re barely able to have it now. They did lose 25,000 houses to a fire that should have never occurred because they didn&#8217;t let the water come down from the Pacific Northwest, which you guys don&#8217;t want to write about.&#8221;
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">End of Summer Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
Trump pivoted back to the crime issue, adding, &#8220;I don&#8217;t like going to a town, a city, a place — a state, and then be criticized by some corrupt or incompetent governor where crime is rampant. Like take a look at D.C. — crime was rampant, it was at the all-time worst. It got really bad during the Biden four years, and then I have a mayor stand up and say how crime has reached a 30-year low.&#8221;
After a pause and a glare at the gathered member of the press, Trump repeated, &#8220;Thirty-year low? People are being killed left and right. It&#8217;s not a 30-year low.&#8221;

‘That Guy Is A Disaster’: Trump Rips Into Another Blue-State Governor With Presidential Dreams

'That Guy Is A Disaster': Trump Rips Into Another Blue-State Governor With Presidential Dreams

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said Sunday that he would continue to call special sessions of the Texas legislature until the rogue Democrats who fled the state to block redistricting returned.
Abbott also pledged to arrest the Democrats and take them to the Capitol building once they returned to Texas so the legislature could reconvene. Around 50 House Democrats left the state last week to block the legislature from redrawing election maps by denying a quorum. 
&#8220;I&#8217;m authorized to call a special session every 30 days. It lasts 30 days. And as soon as this one is over, I&#8217;m gonna call another one, then another one, then another one, then another one,&#8221; Abbott told Shannon Bream on Fox News Sunday. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Texas Democrats didn’t stand and fight—they fled, obstructing critical state business for hardworking Texans.
I’ll call special session after special session for years if I have to.
Only cowards run to blue states. <a href="https://t.co/ojws4DDlbG">pic.twitter.com/ojws4DDlbG</a>
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) <a href="https://twitter.com/GregAbbott_TX/status/1954605346028159417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;If they show back up in the state of Texas, they will be arrested and taken to the capitol. If they want to evade that arrest, they&#8217;re gonna have to stay outside of the state of Texas for literally years,&#8221; he added. “They might as well just start voting in California or voting in Illinois, wherever they may be.”
Abbott <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/abbott-moves-to-oust-democrat-who-led-texas-walkout-stunt">filed a suit</a> with the Texas Supreme Court last Tuesday seeking to remove Democrat House Caucus Chair Gene Wu from office over the Democrat revolt. He argued that Wu has forfeited his spot in the legislature. 
&#8220;We have a situation where lawmakers are violating the law in Article 3 of the Texas Constitution where they are required to act on bills. Because they&#8217;re violating that constitutional mandate, that means they are not fulfilling their oath of office, and they can be removed from office in this legal action that I&#8217;m taking,&#8221; Abbott said Sunday. 
The Texas House was set to consider adopting GOP-backed election maps that would create five more favorable Republican seats in Congress. This prompted backlash from Democrat lawmakers who went to deep blue states like Massachusetts or Illinois to protest. 
Despite his own state’s gerrymandered political maps, Illinois Democrat Governor JB Pritzker has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illinois-gov-says-his-states-gerrymandering-is-ok-because-democracy?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Illinois+Gov+Says+His+State’s+Gerrymandering+Is+OK+—+Because+‘Democracy’">accused</a> Texas Republicans of engaging in a power grab. 
“What they’re talking about is a distraction. The reality is that the violation of people’s voting rights is what Texas is attempting to do. That’s what’s wrong with their efforts right now. And the fact that the president of the United States knows it and, nevertheless, is asking them to do it — that is what’s wrong with what we’re seeing right now. Democracy is at stake,” he said Sunday.

Texas Governor Abbott Holds Border Security Bill Signing At Texas Capitol

Abbott Vows To Hold Special Sessions In Texas ‘For Years’ Until Delinquent Dems Return

Abbott Vows To Continue Holding Special Sessions 'For Years' If Necessary

Elections

Greg Abbot

Texas

Voting

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker dodged when confronted on his own state’s gerrymandered congressional map, pivoting to blame Texas Republicans of threatening “democracy.”
The Illinois governor appeared on NBC News for an interview that aired on Sunday, and, when asked if his criticism of Texas’ redistricting push is hypocritical, he said that attacks on his own state’s congressional map are distractions.
“What they&#8217;re talking about is a distraction. The reality is that the violation of people&#8217;s voting rights is what Texas is attempting to do. That&#8217;s what&#8217;s wrong with their efforts right now. And the fact that the president of the United States knows it and, nevertheless, is asking them to do it — that is what&#8217;s wrong with what we&#8217;re seeing right now. Democracy is at stake,” said Pritzker.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NBC: Every group that grades the fairness of congressional maps gives Illinois an F and says it&#8217;s a &#8220;perfect model of everything that can go wrong with redistricting.&#8221; Aren&#8217;t you a big hypocrite?
PRITZKER: &#8220;Democracy is at stake!&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/g9NrY0VDDG">pic.twitter.com/g9NrY0VDDG</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1954535550733443200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
“Meet The Press” host Kristen Welker pointed to “F” grades that Illinois’ congressional map has received on the “fairness” of its district lines from independent watchdogs.
According to <a href="https://www.commoncause.org/illinois/resources/illinois/">Common Cause</a>, one of the watchdogs Welker referred to, “Illinois represents a nearly perfect model for everything that can go wrong with redistricting.”
“Illinois legislators used the redistricting process this cycle to protect a Democratic supermajority in the legislature and squeeze one additional Democratic congressional district out of the map despite the state’s loss of one U.S. House seat post-census,” the Common Cause report said.
Pritzker has hosted many of the Texas Democrats who fled their state earlier this month to deny a quorum in the Texas legislature and hold up passage of a newly redrawn congressional map. The map is expected to win Republicans five more seats in the U.S. House during midterm elections.
The Democrats’ abandonment of the state has also held up legislation aimed at assisting the victims of catastrophic flooding in central Texas earlier this year.
Texas leaders, including Governor Greg Abbott and state Attorny General Ken Paxton, have promised to scour legal mechanisms of forcing the rogue Democrats back to the state. Otherwise, the Democrat absences could leave the legislature hobbled for weeks or months.
“All I can say is we’re going to use every tool that we can to make sure that these runaway Democrats are going to be held accountable,” Abbott <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/abbott-vows-to-use-every-tool-to-round-up-and-arrest-runaway-texas-dems">said</a> on Friday.
“Democrats act like they’re not going to come back as long as this is an issue. That means they’re not going to come back until like 2027 or 2028, because I’m going to call special session after special session after special session with the same agenda items on there,” he added.

Illinois Gov Says His State’s Gerrymandering Is OK — Because ‘Democracy’

Illinois Gov Says His State’s Gerrymandering Is OK — Because 'Democracy'

Attorney General Ken Paxton (R-TX) says that he will &#8220;seek judicial orders&#8221; stating that the state legislators who fled to Illinois — to stall a Republican-led effort to redraw the state&#8217;s congressional districts — had &#8220;vacated&#8221; their offices.
Paxton shared a copy of a Tuesday <a href="https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-will-seek-judicial-orders-declaring-runaway-democrats-who-abandon-their" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a> from his office on X, adding, &#8220;The people of Texas elected lawmakers, not jet-setting runaways looking for headlines. If you don’t show up to work, you get fired.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨BREAKING: I will seek judicial orders declaring that runaway Democrats who fail to appear by the Speaker’s deadline have vacated their office.
The people of Texas elected lawmakers, not jet-setting runaways looking for headlines. If you don’t show up to work, you get fired. <a href="https://t.co/yyPWavY38P">pic.twitter.com/yyPWavY38P</a>
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) <a href="https://twitter.com/KenPaxtonTX/status/1952800500207776234?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Paxton&#8217;s release argued that by breaking quorum and thus refusing to perform the duties they were elected to perform, the Democrats who left the state had effectively abandoned their offices — and his intent was to seek judicial relief on the matter should they not return.
&#8220;Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced that the continued refusal to perform legislative duties by Texas House Democrats who broke quorum constitutes abandonment of office and that he will pursue a court ruling ensuring that their seats are declared vacant,&#8221; the release read.
Speaker of the Texas House Dustin Burrows, according to the release, gave the rogue legislators until the end of the week — Friday, August 8 — to return and do their jobs. &#8220;Any lawmaker who has not been arrested and returned or fails to appear by the Speaker’s deadline will be subject to aggressive legal action by Attorney General Paxton.&#8221;
&#8220;Democrats have abandoned their offices by fleeing Texas, and a failure to respond to a call of the House constitutes a dereliction of their duty as elected officials,&#8221; Paxton explained. &#8220;Starting Friday, any rogue lawmakers refusing to return to the House will be held accountable for vacating their office. The people of Texas elected lawmakers, not jet-setting runaways looking for headlines. If you don’t show up to work, you get fired.&#8221;
The rogue Texas Democrats <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/texas-dems-cant-win-redistricting-fight-so-they-bravely-turn-tail-and-flee-the-state" target="_blank" rel="noopener">broke quorum</a> to stall the redistricting process because they did not have the votes to block it through legitimate means. They attempted a similar stunt in 2021 in protest against a Republican-backed election bill.

U.S. Supreme Court Hears Expedited Challenges Over Texas Abortion Ban

Texas AG Asks Judge To Officially Remove AWOL Dems From Seats

Texas AG Will Seek Judicial Ruling Vacating Seats Of Dems Who Went AWOL

Ken Paxton

Redistricting

Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott threatened Sunday to remove dozens of House Democrats from office after they fled to the state to block a GOP-led redistricting plan during a special session of the legislature. 
In a <a href="https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-statement-on-house-democratic-quorum-break">statement</a>, Abbott gave more than 50 Democrats who left the state to deny a quorum &#8211; effectively halting the legislative process &#8211; until 3:00 p.m. on Monday to return or face removal proceedings. Abbott said that the actions of the Democrats amounted to “an abandonment or forfeiture of an elected state office” and that Texas law empowered him to fill the vacancies. 
“Real Texans do not run from a fight. But that’s exactly what most of the Texas House Democrats just did,” Abbott said. “Rather than doing their job and voting on urgent legislation affecting the lives of all Texans, they have fled Texas to deprive the House of the quorum necessary to meet and conduct business.”
The special session, which began on July 21, was set to address a variety of issues, including redistricting, flood relief, abortion, and taxes. Democrats could <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/texas-republicans-drop-new-congressional-map-that-would-flip-5-democrat-seats-red">lose</a> as many as five House seats if Republican-backed maps are implemented, prompting backlash from state and national Democrats. 
“The absconded Democrat House members were elected to meet and vote on legislation—not to prevent votes that may not go their way,” Abbott said. “Every session, legislators on both sides of the aisle find themselves on the losing side of a legislative vote. And every session, most of those legislators find a way to disagree agreeably and behave like adults, rather than going AWOL.”
Abbott also said that some Democrats could face bribery charges if they solicited donations to pay for the $500 daily fine for skipping the special session. 
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also called for the truant Democrats to be arrested. 
“Democrats in the Texas House who try and run away like cowards should be found, arrested, and brought back to the Capitol immediately,” he <a href="https://x.com/KenPaxtonTX/status/1952114350153490634">said</a>. “We should use every tool at our disposal to hunt down those who think they are above the law.”
The Texas Democrats went to Illinois, where they held a press conference on Sunday alongside Democrat Governor JB Pritzker. 
&#8220;Governor Abbott is doing this in submission to Donald Trump so that Donald Trump can steal these communities’ power and voice,&#8221; Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/texas-democrats-head-illinois-deny-republicans-quorum-redistricting-rcna222743">claimed</a>. &#8220;We will not be complicit in the destruction of our own communities. We&#8217;re not here to play political games, we&#8217;re here to demand an end to this corrupt process.&#8221;
Texas House Democrats have previously fled the state in efforts to block other legislation from being passed, including an election integrity bill in 2021. That bill ended up passing after a weeks-long standoff that ended when a quorum was restored after the vacant lawmakers were threatened with arrest.

Governor Abbott Holds News Conference On Winter Weather Moving Through Texas

Abbott To AWOL Texas Democrats: Respect Voters Or Be Removed

Congress

Greg Abbott

Menu