Bondi clashes with Durbin on National Guard deployment: 'Love Chicago as much as you hate President Trump'

Attorney General Pam Bondi defended President Donald Trump's National Guard deployment to Chicago during a heated exchange with Senator Dick Durbin.

Attorney General Pam Bondi is sworn in before a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

The pair continued to argue as Durbin claimed Trump's budget plan cut funding for certain law enforcement programs in Illinois. Bondi said she would "work with" his office if he named the specific programs.

"Tell me a specific grant that I turned off in Illinois that would help law enforcement, and I will work with you, but you have not done that," Bondi said.

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"The National Guard is on the way. Right now, as we speak, so is [FBI Director Kash] Patel and deputy director Todd Blanche. You're sitting here grilling me, and they're on their way to Chicago," she added.

Durbin responded, "It is my job to grill you."

FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed in an X post that he was Chicago bound on Tuesday morning. 

"Chicago will be saved, and this FBI will continue to crush violent crime there, and all around the country. Heading to the Windy City now," Patel wrote.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks during a press conference amid reports of federal deployments to Chicago. (Kamil Krazaczynski/AFP via Getty Images)

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"We must now start calling this what it is: Trump’s Invasion," the Democratic governor said in a statement.

Fox News' Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report

Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to Anders.Hagstrom@Fox.com, or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.

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