Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Monday that federal law enforcement efforts cannot by themselves solve Chicago's violent crime problems, arguing that cooperation from local political leaders is necessary after a deadly Juneteenth weekend that left multiple people dead and dozens wounded across the city.

Speaking on Fox News, Blanche drew a distinction between cooperation among law enforcement agencies and support from elected officials.

"What you have is a situation in Chicago, and you can contrast that to Washington, D.C. So in Chicago, yes, there's federal agents there, and they're working cases, and they're doing great work," Blanche said.

"But when there's not a partnership with local leadership, it's not the cops on the ground."

Blanche said federal assistance produces results when local officials actively work with Washington to address crime.

"When that happened in D.C., as you just showed, it worked. We did it in Memphis [Tennessee] and it worked," he said.

"It's shocking that Chicago's leaders refuse help from the federal government."

His comments came after a violent weekend in Chicago that included a mass shooting during a Juneteenth celebration on the South Side.

Chicago police said at least 12 people were shot late Friday when an SUV pulled up and two people inside opened fire on a crowd gathered in the Princeton Park neighborhood. The victims ranged in age from 17 to 47, and several were hospitalized with serious injuries.

Police said the suspects fled the scene, and the investigation remains ongoing.

The mass shooting was one of numerous shootings reported across the city during the holiday weekend. Local media and police reports indicated that at least eight people were killed and nearly 40 others were wounded in separate incidents throughout Chicago.

President Donald Trump also weighed in on the violence, renewing his criticism of Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, repeating his offer to provide federal assistance.

"Why isn't Governor Pritzker calling me for help? I can make Chicago a safe city in one month," he said.

"In one year, it would be one of the safest. D.C. went from one of the worst to one of the safest cities in the country."

Trump's comments referenced his administration's deployment of federal resources and National Guard personnel in Washington, D.C., which administration officials have cited as a model for reducing crime.

The president has repeatedly argued that Chicago would benefit from a larger federal role in public safety, while state and local Democrat leaders have generally opposed federal intervention and maintained that local authorities remain capable of managing public safety challenges.

Pritzker has previously rejected calls for federal intervention in Chicago and opposed efforts by the Trump administration to expand federal involvement in local law enforcement matters. The governor has argued that Illinois and Chicago law enforcement agencies are capable of addressing crime without additional federal control.

Chicago has long been at the center of national debates over crime policy, gun violence, and the role of federal law enforcement. While city officials have pointed to declines in some categories of violent crime in recent years, periodic spikes in shootings continue to draw national attention, particularly during summer months and holiday weekends.

Neither Pritzker's office nor Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson immediately responded Monday to Blanche's remarks.