During a heated Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Sen. Dick Durbin (D‑IL) pressed Attorney General Pam Bondi over whether she had been consulted by the White House before deploying the National Guard to Chicago and other Democratic‑led cities. Durbin demanded to know the legal basis for sending troops into his state and urged transparency about internal deliberations. with the White House. “I’m not going to discuss any internal conversations with the White House,” she declared, repeating this stance when Durbin pressed further. Faced with continued prodding, she pivoted to a pointed attack: she accused Durbin of voting to shut down the government while federal law enforcement officers went unpaid.
.@AGPamBondi cooks @SenatorDurbin: "I wish you loved Chicago as much as you hate President Trump — and currently, the National Guard are on the way to Chicago. If you're not going to protect your citizens, President Trump will." 🔥 pic.twitter.com/4CoNdH5w4p
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 7, 2025
At one dramatic moment, she delivered the line that drew attention:
“I wish you loved Chicago as much as you hate President Trump. … And currently, the National Guard are on the way to Chicago. If you’re not going to protect your citizens, President Trump will.”
Durbin, visibly frustrated, accused her of turning what should be a legal question into a political spectacle. He insisted the public deserved clarity on the legal justification for deploying federal troops domestically.
Bondi responded by citing Chicago’s high homicide count (571 homicides that past year) and criticized local leadership for failing to secure the city, arguing federal intervention was necessary.
Though Durbin attempted to shift topics to the Epstein files and other DOJ controversies, Bondi remained unyielding, leaning into the Guard deployment dispute as the centerpiece of the clash. What will likely endure from the hearing isn’t the dozens of policy issues debated, but Bondi’s pointed rebuke — a soundbite destined for replay.
