Megyn Kelly Breaks with Trump over Sending Troops to Chicago: ‘Sorry, but We Can’t Have It’

Donald Trump is facing criticism from a longtime supporter over his plan to fight crime in Chicago.

On her SiriusXM show on Wednesday, Sept. 3, conservative commentator Megyn Kelly spoke about Trump’s idea to bring the National Guard to Chicago, following his earlier deployment of troops in Washington, D.C.

“It clearly is not constitutionally allowed,” Kelly said. “He cannot do it.”

Kelly’s remarks came after a federal court ruled on Tuesday that Trump acted illegally in June when he ignored California Gov. Gavin Newsom and sent thousands of soldiers to Los Angeles during protests.

The ruling, though specific to California, suggested Trump could face more legal problems if he keeps sending troops to cities in blue states.

Trump announced on Aug. 11 that he was taking control of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, saying he wanted to fight crime and address the city’s homeless population by deploying the National Guard.

Since then, the president has highlighted D.C.’s arrest numbers and promised to expand the program to other blue-state cities like Chicago, Baltimore, and New York City.

“The people of Chicago… are asking us to come. They’re wearing red hats, just like this one,” Trump told reporters on Aug. 22, referring to his latest red baseball cap, “Trump Was Right About Everything.”

“African-American ladies, beautiful ladies, are saying, ‘Please President Trump, come to Chicago, please,'” the 79-year-old president added. “I did well with the Black vote, as you know. They want something to happen… So I think Chicago will be next, then we’ll help with New York.”

On Tuesday, Trump admitted there was no concrete plan yet to send troops to Chicago but told reporters, “Well, we’re going. I didn’t say when. We’re going in.”

He also criticized Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, saying Pritzker should call him for help after gun violence in Chicago left several people dead over Labor Day weekend.

Pritzker responded hours later at a press conference.

“When did it become acceptable for the U.S. president to say on national television that a state should call him to beg for help — especially for something we don’t want?” he asked. “Have we lost all sense of sanity in this nation?”

Pritzker added, “There is no emergency that justifies sending troops. Calling Chicago a hellhole insults our city, and anyone who believes him is also insulting Chicagoans.”

Despite being from different political parties, Kelly agreed with the Illinois governor, though reluctantly.

“We can’t have Trump going in without the governor’s permission. I’m sorry, but we can’t have it,” she said. “He does not have the constitutional right to do it.”

She added, “I really hope he doesn’t do it, because I don’t want a world where I’m siding with Gov. Pritzker over President Trump. But I will if he does it, because it would be illegal.”

After the court ruling on his actions in Los Angeles, Trump suggested he might wait to send troops to Chicago until Gov. Pritzker asks for help.

For now, he is focusing on fighting crime in New Orleans, where Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican, has welcomed his assistance.