Emanuel rips Trump’s Chicago remarks: ‘Do more than talk or tweet about it’

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D) scolded President Trump for his comments during his first address to a joint session of Congress about Chicago violence, challenging him to do more than talk about it. 

“We have repeatedly made specific requests of the administration for greater law enforcement integration and resources; a higher priority placed on federal gun prosecutions; and funds restored toward mentoring and after-school and summer jobs programs that have proven to be positive alternatives for our young people,” Emanuel said in a statement following Trump’s address.

{mosads}”Because this is so important, I’ll always be ready with this list whenever the President asks.”

During his speech, as he has previously done in tweets, Trump called out the murder rate in Chicago.

“In Chicago, more than 4,000 people were shot last year alone — and the murder rate so far this year has been even higher,” he said. “This is not acceptable in our society.”

But Emanuel challenged the president on his efforts to help the city.

“The better question, I’d suggest, is whether the President cares enough about violence in our city to do more than talk or tweet about it,” he said.

In a January tweet, Trump threatened to send federal authorities to Chicago to help fix “the horrible ‘carnage” in the city. In another tweet last month, he once again said the city “needs help.” 

If Chicago doesn’t fix the horrible “carnage” going on, 228 shootings in 2017 with 42 killings (up 24% from 2016), I will send in the Feds!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 25, 2017

Seven people shot and killed yesterday in Chicago. What is going on there – totally out of control. Chicago needs help!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 24, 2017