Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson took a shot at the Trump administration during his weekly press conference, accusing federal immigration authorities of engaging in “terrorism” and comparing modern-day America to the Confederate States of America.

Johnson called on House Speaker Mike Johnson to speak out, claiming the federal government has abandoned checks and balances and is now functioning as a “one-branch” system under President Donald Trump.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says that America under President Trump is “what our country would look like if the Confederacy won.”

If the Confederacy had won then Johnson wouldn’t have the right to vote.

Also, the Confederates were Democrats. pic.twitter.com/THBnvPQVP6

— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) June 11, 2025

“When I refer to what terrorism looks like, this is it,” Johnson said. “There should be no question to what our country would look like had the Confederacy won — we’re seeing it on full display.”

The mayor said that under Trump, the U.S. is governed not by democratic institutions but through intimidation and authoritarian power. “There is a tyrant in the White House,” he declared, asserting that Congress has abdicated its duty and that Speaker Johnson “won’t even raise his voice” in protest.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says President Trump is a monster.

Someone should remind this racist that his approval rating was recently 6.6% approval with a staggering 80% disapproval rating.

One of the lowest of any elected official in U.S. history. pic.twitter.com/vObLlaTBgA

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) May 22, 2025

Johnson claimed that “there’s one branch of government right now in this country,” and that “the Congress says nothing. And so people are terrified.” He continued, “This is literally just using the power of the federal apparatus to insert its will on whomever… There’s no check and balance. It doesn’t exist right now.”

He added: “Speaker Johnson, who is third in [line]. If something were to happen to the president [he] won’t even raise his voice as a believer, as a believer in faith and justice; these individuals are cowards.”

As Johnson took questions from reporters, tensions rose when one aide urged a journalist to keep his question brief. “Jeez, I thought the theme of today’s press conference was ‘freedom of speech,’” the reporter replied, before pressing the mayor about accountability to taxpayers and his approach to immigration policy.

The reporter confronted Johnson over comments earlier in the week in which the mayor had called on Chicagoans to “rise up” against ICE. “Many Chicagoans, including Black and brown [residents], tell me that that sounds like a call to violence,” the reporter said. “In light of the violence that we’re seeing in Los Angeles now, the looting, the damage to property, the attacks on law enforcement, would you consider withdrawing that violent call to violence?”

Johnson answered: “I believe in nonviolence.”

Another question addressed taxpayer frustration over the city’s spending on migrants. “The real Chicagoans are now facing tax increases because you’ve spent millions of their tax dollars on migrants… Why would you think that real Chicagoans should trust you to spend their money after you’ve already wasted millions of it on illegal aliens?”

The mayor answered, “we are investing in people.”