A day after declaring "Chicago needs help!" on Twitter, President Donald Trump referenced Chicago's violence Friday in an address to the Conservative Political Action Conference.
"I'm also working with the Department of Justice to being reducing violent crime," Trump told the group.
"I mean, can you believe what's happening in Chicago as an example?" he said. "Two days ago, seven people were shot and I believe killed. Seven people, seven people, Chicago, a great American city, seven people shot and killed."
Seven people, including a pregnant woman, were fatally shot in Chicago Wednesday. The next day Trump tweeted “what is going on there?”
"We will support the incredible men and women of law enforcement," he said to much applause.
Trump's tweet was sent almost one month after the president announced he would “send in the Feds!” if Chicago did not fix the unyielding violence it has grappled with for so long.
Chicago police Supt. Eddie Johnson called the bloodshed "unacceptable" in a statement Thursday night and noted the city's request for federal help has so far gone unanswered.
"We have challenges with gun violence in several neighborhoods on the South and West sides of the city. It's unacceptable to me, to the Mayor and to everyone who lives in Chicago," Johnson said. "We've made requests to the White House and the Justice Department for them to support our work - from increasing federal gun prosecution to more FBI, DEA and ATF agents to more funding for mentoring, job training and more. We are still waiting for the administration's response to our request."
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said at the beginning of February the president should “just send them.”
"Send more FBI, DEA, ATF agents," Emanuel said at the time. "We don't have to talk about it anymore. Just send them."
Local
Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykin also solicited Attorney General Jeff Sessions asking for more federal money and boots on the ground to combat violence in Chicago earlier this month.
“We must send a signal to these gang members and we must dismantle the gangs—bottom line,” Boykin said. “We must dismantle them. But we also must bring resources in terms of job training and jobs.”
The president Thursday followed up his Chicago tweet shortly after saying he was looking forward to a "big interview" with businessman Henry Kravis at the Business Council of Washington.
