Illinois Democratic Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski is criticizing a plan by President Donald Trump to send National Guard troops to Chicago to fight crime.
On the latest episode of the Politically Speaking podcast, Budzinski said Trump sending troops under the guise of fighting crime is a distraction from the president’s woes.
“I think that this is a manufactured crisis by this administration, I would argue, perhaps to distract from political issues like Jeffrey Epstein or the fact that he made a commitment also on Day 1 to reduce the costs of groceries, and he's failed to do that,” she said.
Budzinski represents Illinois’ 13th Congressional District, which takes in Metro East communities like East St. Louis, Granite City, Edwardsville and Collinsville.
Here’s what else Budzinski had to say during the show:
- Budzinski slammed aspects of the One Big Beautiful Bill, particularly restrictions on medical provider taxes that help fund state Medicaid programs. She said she’s hopeful that Democrats can exert enough leverage in an upcoming showdown over governmental spending to pare back the restrictions on the tax.
- With Republican states like Missouri and Indiana potentially redrawing their congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, Budzinski said Democratic-led states like Illinois shouldn’t unilaterally disarm just because they find the Trump-pressured mid-decade redistricting push distasteful.
- “All options are on the table here,” she said. “There is so much at stake for this country right now, and it is so important that we take back this House majority. I'm not going to stand in that way.”
- While Budzinski is confident that Democrats can do well next year, she said that the party has to “offer a vision for this country and how they're proposing to make life easier for people.” She points to her work trying to expand high-speed internet and reducing the cost of prescription drugs.
Before running for office, Budzinski worked in the Biden administration, serving as chief of staff in the Office of Management and Budget. The Peoria native also was a senior adviser to Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker. Before that, she worked for a number of unions in Washington, D.C.
Budzinski first won election to the 13th District seat in 2022 and won reelection in 2024 by roughly 17 percentage points.
