Trump Threatens To Withhold Chicago Transit Funds After Commuter Sets Woman On Fire

The federal government has warned it may withdraw transit funding from Chicago unless the city strengthens safety measures after a commuter allegedly doused a woman with gasoline and set her on fire aboard a Blue Line train in November.

Federal Deadline and Demand

Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Administrator Marc Molinaro sent a letter to Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson giving the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) until Dec. 19 to produce and implement an updated safety plan. The letter did not prescribe specific security measures but warned that failure to comply could put federal funding at risk.

The Attack

On Nov. 17, a man riding the Blue Line allegedly poured gasoline from a plastic bottle on passenger Bethany MaGee as she sat with her back to him, then chased her through the train car, set her on fire and exited at the next downtown stop. MaGee, 26, staggered onto the platform and collapsed; she sustained severe burns but survived.

Suspect, Charges and Criminal History

Police arrested 50-year-old Lawrence Reed of Chicago the following morning. Federal prosecutors charged him with carrying out a terrorist attack, a charge that can carry a maximum sentence of life in prison. Cook County court records reviewed by The Associated Press show Reed has faced more than 60 criminal cases since 1993, ranging from traffic and trespassing to at least 15 battery and assault counts and at least two prior arson cases.

Authorities say Reed was on electronic monitoring in an active battery case at the time of the train attack. The Cook County chief judge’s office pointed to state law that limits judges’ authority to hold defendants before trial, a factor Molinaro cited in his criticism of Reed’s earlier release.

“It is unconscionable that Mr. Reed was released in the earlier battery case,” Molinaro wrote, calling the attack evidence of “systemic failures in both leadership and accountability on all levels that cannot be tolerated.”

Local Response and Political Fallout

Governor Pritzker’s office criticized the administration’s response, accusing the White House of politicizing a horrific incident without doing enough to make Illinois communities safer. The governor’s office noted that Illinois legislators approved a bill in October to create a transit safety task force; the bill has not been signed and, if enacted, would not take effect until June.

Mayor Brandon Johnson said he takes the funding threat seriously and urged federal leaders to partner with cities rather than confront them. “It’s no secret here that President Trump spends more time thinking about my job than actually doing his,” he said.

The CTA acknowledged receipt of Molinaro’s letter and said it would respond within the requested timeline.

Broader Context

The dispute comes amid broader tensions between the Trump administration and Democratic-led cities. In October, federal officials froze roughly $2.1 billion in Chicago infrastructure funding, including plans to expand the Red Line into underserved neighborhoods; officials said they were reviewing whether funds were being routed through race-based contracting. The administration also placed a hold on about $18 billion in infrastructure funds for New York the same week.

The episode has intensified longstanding political clashes between Governor Pritzker and President Trump, including over immigration policy and the governor’s opposition to a proposed National Guard deployment to Chicago.