Democratic Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot implied during a Wednesday speech that President Donald Trump sending federal agents to cities to help quell the rise in violence is an attack on female leaders.
“The president has been on a campaign now for some time against Democratic mayors across the country,” Lightfoot said.
She went on to list the leaders of several places – leaving out Portland, which is run by a man. While Trump announced future deployment of federal forces to several cities, Portland is the only city where forces have yet been deployed. (RELATED: Chicago Mayor Cites COVID-19 For City’s Escalating Murder Rate)
“Whether it’s me, whether it’s Keisha Lance Bottoms in Atlanta, whether it’s Muriel Bowser in Washington, D.C., whether it’s Jenny Durkan in Seattle – do you see a common theme here?” Lightfoot asked.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot goes off on Trump’s attacking Democratic women mayors: “Do you see a common theme here?” pic.twitter.com/3WYCIcSaSK
— The Recount (@therecount) July 22, 2020
Trump announced the beginning of “Operation Legend” on Wednesday, an effort that will deploy federal officials to assist local law enforcement in controlling unrest. The federal agents will be sent to Chicago, Kansas City and New Mexico, according to Attorney General William Barr.
Mayor Lightfoot condemned the decision to send the federal officials to Chicago. “Under no circumstances will I allow Donald Trump’s troops to come to Chicago and terrorize our residents,” she tweeted Tuesday.
Under no circumstances will I allow Donald Trump’s troops to come to Chicago and terrorize our residents.
— Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) July 21, 2020