It’s hard to say what’s worse—what happened to Bethany MaGee on that Chicago train, or the fact that officials saw it coming and did nothing.
A 26-year-old woman was doused in gasoline and set on fire on a public train, in broad daylight, in the middle of one of America’s largest cities. The man charged in the attack, Lawrence Reed, had reportedly been arrested more than 70 times. Let that number sink in. Seventy. Seven-zero. He had 15 convictions on his record, yet somehow was still out roaming the streets—and apparently, the CTA rail system—like it was just another Tuesday. Because in Chicago, that might as well be the new normal.
But now, the Trump administration has had enough. On Monday, Federal Transit Administration Administrator Marc Molinaro sent letters to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, warning them that if they don’t get serious about public safety immediately, they can kiss their federal transit funds goodbye.
This is no empty threat. In the letter, Molinaro made it clear: “Creating a safe, reliable transit system is the responsibility of leaders at every level. CTA, the City of Chicago, and the State of Illinois have failed to meet this obligation.” And he’s right. At some point, letting crime explode on public transportation stops being a “problem” and starts becoming a choice. And the leadership in Chicago has been choosing for years now.
According to Molinaro, violent crime on Chicago’s public transportation is four times the national average. Assaults on passengers have surged 150% in just five years. And what have city officials done in response? Hold a press conference. Maybe set up a task force. Release a carefully worded statement about “community engagement.” But deploy more police? Enforce basic law and order? No, that might make someone uncomfortable.
Meanwhile, law-abiding citizens are being set on fire. Think about that. Not robbed. Not shoved. Set on fire.
And it’s not just riders. Transit workers have been under constant threat too, forced to navigate increasingly dangerous environments because local leadership seems more afraid of being accused of “over-policing” than they are of violent criminals walking free. That’s what Molinaro’s letter makes crystal clear. He didn’t just call for more law enforcement—he called out a culture of neglect that led directly to this tragedy.
He wrote, “The attack on Ms. MaGee was preventable. Transit leaders and elected officials who fail to enforce basic laws and permit disorder to erode the integrity of their systems are making deliberate choices that endanger riders.” That’s not political theater. That’s a fact.
But here’s the part that should really enrage people: instead of taking responsibility, Democratic leaders in Illinois have spent years downplaying the crime crisis. Governor Pritzker and his allies have insisted that rising crime is just something that comes with living in a big city—as if being assaulted, or worse, is simply the price of admission for modern urban life. Tell that to Bethany MaGee.
The Trump administration isn’t buying the excuses. They’re demanding results—and rightly so. Chicago now has a deadline and a clear warning: act fast to clean up the transit system, or face serious consequences. That means more security, updated safety plans, and actual accountability.
🚨 BREAKING: President Trump is considering PULLING federal funds for Chicago transit after an innocent woman was SET ON FIRE by a career criminal with **72 prior arrests**
PULL EVERY DIME! That’s the ONLY WAY to get Democrats to stop this BS. pic.twitter.com/fMr7oNXg14
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) December 9, 2025
Because at this point, it’s not just about Chicago. It’s about every city watching this play out and wondering if this is what “public transit” is going to mean from now on—violent, unsafe, and out of control.
So the question isn’t whether Chicago can fix its broken system. It’s whether its leaders want to. And if not? Then maybe it’s time those federal dollars go somewhere they’re not being set on fire.
