WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump delivered a scathing rebuke of Chicago’s leadership and judicial system on Monday, November 25, 2025, labeling the nation’s third-largest city "totally out of control."
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| Horrific: Chicago - this week, 26 year-old Bethany MaGee was brutally attacked and set on fire on the CTA by Lawrence Reed (age 50) Law enforcement officials say that Reed is mentally unstable and career criminal that had at least 72 prior arrests. |
The President’s fury was ignited by a horrific attack that has shocked the nation: Bethany MaGee, a 26-year-old woman, was doused with gasoline and set on fire while riding the CTA 'L' train. The suspect, Lawrence Reed, is a career criminal with a staggering rap sheet of 72 prior arrests, who was free on pretrial release despite objections from prosecutors.
"They Let Him Out 72 Times"
Speaking from the Rose Garden during the annual Thanksgiving turkey pardon typically a lighthearted event President Trump pivoted to a darkened tone to address the violence in Illinois.
"They set a young woman on fire on a train," Trump told the press corps. "A man who had been arrested 72 times 72 times! And they still let him out. These liberal judges, they will probably let him out again."
The White House later issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter), framing the tragedy as the inevitable result of "soft-on-crime" policies prevalent in deep-blue cities.
"A criminal with 72 prior arrests should never be allowed to roam the streets. Our prayers are with Bethany."
The Failure of "Catch and Release"
The attack on MaGee has become a flashpoint in the national debate over bail reform and judicial discretion.
Lawrence Reed, 50, had a history of violence spanning decades. Most recently, he had been charged with aggravated battery for knocking a social worker unconscious at MacNeal Hospital. Despite prosecutors filing a petition to detain him as a danger to the public, Cook County Judge Teresa Molina-Gonzalez denied the request, placing Reed on electronic monitoring instead.
According to court records, Reed violated the terms of his curfew repeatedly in the days leading up to the arson attack.
Surveillance footage from the train captured the nightmarish sequence: Reed approached MaGee from behind, poured a flammable liquid over her, and ignited it. The brutal, unprovoked assault has left MaGee fighting for her life and the city in a state of panic.
Trump vs. Pritzker: The National Guard Standoff
President Trump used the tragedy to renew his demand that Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson authorize the deployment of the National Guard to restore order.
The President cited his administration's successful intervention in Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and Memphis as a blueprint for Chicago. However, state and city officials have repeatedly rejected the offer, dismissing the proposed federal intervention as "unconstitutional."
Trump did not mince words regarding the refusal:
"The Mayor is incompetent, and the Governor is a fat guy who sits around doing nothing," Trump declared. "He should invite us in and say, 'Please, make Chicago safe again.' If they don't act fast, we are going to lose a great city."
A City on Edge
The President insisted that with federal cooperation, Chicago could be rendered "totally safe" within weeks. He argued that the citizens of Chicago are desperate for federal intervention as violent crime continues to dominate the headlines.
"The people are begging for us to come in," Trump stated. "They are living in hell because their leaders refuse to enforce the law."
As Bethany MaGee remains in critical condition, the attack stands as a grim symbol of a justice system that critics say has prioritized the rights of repeat offenders over the safety of the public.
Source: Fox News
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