By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker says he has not received communication from the federal government about potential troop deployments to Illinois, after President Donald Trump offered choice words for the governor.

The president deployed troops to combat crime in Washington, D.C. earlier this month and suggested last week that Chicago could be next.

When asked Wednesday about reports that federal agencies might use Naval Station Great Lakes for staging, the governor said he had received no calls from the White House or anyone from the federal government who might be in charge of troop movement.

Speaking at the ribbon-cutting for a new housing facility in Maywood, Pritzker said Illinois is 19th best among the 50 states in terms of violent crime.

“And the city of Chicago isn’t even in the Top 25 major cities with high crime rates, because we’ve worked to bring it down,” Pritzker said.

Chicago reported 573 homicides last year, more than any other U.S. city. According to the Rochester Institute of Technology Center for Public Safety Initiatives, New York reported 377 homicides. The report has St. Louis with the highest homicide rate of 54.4%. Chicago’s homicide rate was 21.7%, coming in at No. 8.

Trump called out Pritzker at a Cabinet meeting Tuesday.

“Like this slob of a governor you have in Illinois. This poor guy got thrown out of his business by his family. I know the family. I was partners with the family. I like the family, but he’s no good. They threw him out,” Trump said.

Trump noted that people have referred to him as a dictator. The president said he is not a dictator, but he knows how to stop crime.

“You would think that Illinois would have such a problem with crime, such a bad governor. He should be calling me and he should be saying, ‘Could you send over the troops, please? It’s out of control,’” Trump said.

Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, joined Pritzker in Maywood and also criticized Trump.

“We’ve heard a president talking about occupying our state and our cities with the military, rather than talking about investing in our communities,” Welch said.

Brett Rowland contributed to this report.