Trump’s Pressure Cooker Is Making Bad Mayors Blink
Kevin McCullough > Column
Wednesday, August 27, 2025
Chicago’s mayor spent the weekend thundering about “democracy,” “fascism,” and the Constitution. Then he showed up on MSNBC and—under the hottest spotlight of his tenure—stumbled over the simplest question in public safety: would more cops on the street make Chicago safer? Joe Scarborough asked it five times. Brandon Johnson couldn’t say yes. He filibustered about housing, mental health, and youth jobs until he was forced to mutter that the police must be “fully supported.” Translation: with Trump threatening federal muscle, even the most progressive mayor knows he can’t keep sneering at cops.
