(Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

(CNSNews.com) – President Donald Trump called out Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson for his decision to skip out on his speech Monday at the annual conference of police chiefs, calling Johnson’s statement on why he would not attend “very insulting.”



Johnson announced last week that he would skip the event, saying that the “values of the people of Chicago are more important than anything that he would have to say.”



Speaking at the International Association of Chiefs of Police Annual Conference in Chicago, Ill., Trump said, “But there is one person that is not here today. We're in Chicago. I said where is he? I want to talk to him. In fact, more than anyone else, this person should be here, because maybe he could learn something, and that's the Superintendent of Chicago Police Eddie Johnson.





“He said the values of the people of Chicago are more important than anything President Trump would have to say. I don't think so, because that's very insulting statement after all I've done for the police, and I've done more than any other president’s ever done for the police. Over 100 years we can prove it, but probably from the beginning, and here is a man that could not bother to show up for a meeting of police chiefs, most respected people in the country, in his hometown and with the president of the United States,” Trump said.



“And you know why? It's because he is not doing his job. Last year, 565 people were murdered in Chicago. Since Eddie Johnson has been police chief, more than 1,500 people have been murdered in Chicago, and 13,067 people have been shot. During the first weekend of August 2019, seven people were murdered and 52 were wounded in 32 shootings in Chicago, and recently they had 78 shootings over a weekend spree and three people killed,” he said.



Trump pointed out that Chicago has “the toughest gun laws in the United States.”



“That doesn't seem to be working too well, does it? And a lot of you people know exactly what I mean, but under Johnson's leadership, they certainly don't protect people,” he said.



The president pointed to the hate crime hoax reported by “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett.



“Then you have the case of this wise guys Jussie Smollett who beat up himself, and he said MAGA country did it. MAGA country, okay? He said it's a hate crime. It's a hate crime, and it's a scam. It’s a real big scam just like the impeachment of your president is a scam. And then you look what's going on, Smollett is still trying to get away with it. He would have been better off if he paid his $100,000 bill,” Trump said.

“Chicago is unfortunately the worst sanctuary city in America,” the president said. “Chicago protects criminals at a level few could even imagine.

Last year in Cook County, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) asked local law enforcement to detain 1,162 people, Trump said, “but in each case, the detainer was denied, and Eddie Johnson wants to talk about values.”



“No, people like Johnson put criminals and illegal aliens before the citizens of Chicago, and those are his values, and frankly, those values to me are a disgrace,” the president said, pledging that he would “never put the needs of illegal criminals before I put the needs of law-abiding citizens.”



“So when Eddie Johnson and many other people from lots of other regions and areas support sanctuary cities, it’s really in my opinion a betrayal of their oath to the shield and a violation of his duty to serve and to protect the courageous police officers of Chicago, and I know some of them, and they’re the most incredible people. They could solve this problem quickly,” Trump said.



“It’s embarrassing to us as a nation. All over the world they're talking about Chicago. Afghanistan is a safe place by comparison. It's true,” the president said.

Police officers of Chicago are entitled to a police superintendent who has their backs and knows what he’s doing. You’re entitled to a police superintendent who sides with you, with the people of Chicago. The people want this, and with the families of Chicago, not the criminals and the gang members that are here illegally and not the stupid politicians that have no idea what the hell they're doing,” he said.



