"If Trump wants to take his ego trip on tour, he picked the wrong city," said one senior Illinois official. "Chicago doesn't bow down to kings or roll out the red carpet for dictators."
A protester holds a sign during a "No Kings" protest against President Donald Trump outside Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago on June 14, 2025.
(Photo by Jim Vondruska/Getty Images)
Brett Wilkins
Aug 23, 2025
COMMON DREAMS
US President Donald Trump said Friday that Chicago is the next city in his crosshairs for the kind of federal invasion and occupation currently underway in Washington, DC—a threat that sparked defiant pushback from officials in the Windy City and beyond.
"After we do this, we'll go to another location, and we'll make it safe also," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, referring to his federalization of Washington's Metropolitan Police Department and deployment of National Guard troops from the district and five Republican-controlled states.
"We're going to make our cities very, very safe. Chicago's a mess. You have an incompetent mayor. Grossly incompetent and we'll straighten that one out probably next," the president said, referring to progressive Brandon Johnson. "That will be our next one after this. And it won't even be tough."
On August 11, Trump dubiously declared a public safety emergency in Washington, DC, despite violent crime being down 26% from a year ago, when it was at its second-lowest level since 1966, according to official statistics. Critics have noted that Trump's crackdown isn't just targeting criminals, but also unhoused and mentally ill people, who have had their homes destroyed and property taken.
On Friday, Trump threatened to completely take over Washington and oust Mayor Muriel Bowser if she does not stop pointing out that crime has decreased in the city, which the president called a "crime-infested rat hole."
In addition to Chicago, Trump has threatened to send federal forces into cities including Baltimore, Los Angeles, New York, Oakland, and San Francisco. Violent crime is trending downward in all of those cities—with some registering historically low levels.
Unlike in Washington, DC, where home rule laws allow the federal government to take control of local police, Trump would face greater obstacles to intervention in other cities.
"President Trump can't seize control of the Chicago police or any other local department outside of DC," Congressman Raja Krishnamoorth (D-Ill.) noted on social media Friday. "The military cannot and will not patrol the streets of Chicago, and I will work with state and local officials to ensure that doesn't happen."
Mayor Johnson said in a statement that "the problem with the president's approach is that it is uncoordinated, uncalled for, and unsound."
"If the Trump administration is serious about driving down violence in Chicago, or anywhere else in America, then he should not have taken over $800 million away from violence prevention," he added.
Other elected officials in Illinois also expressed anger and alarm at the prospect of a Trump intervention in Chicago.
On Friday, Trump threatened to completely take over Washington and oust Mayor Muriel Bowser if she does not stop pointing out that crime has decreased in the city, which the president called a "crime-infested rat hole."
In addition to Chicago, Trump has threatened to send federal forces into cities including Baltimore, Los Angeles, New York, Oakland, and San Francisco. Violent crime is trending downward in all of those cities—with some registering historically low levels.
Unlike in Washington, DC, where home rule laws allow the federal government to take control of local police, Trump would face greater obstacles to intervention in other cities.
"President Trump can't seize control of the Chicago police or any other local department outside of DC," Congressman Raja Krishnamoorth (D-Ill.) noted on social media Friday. "The military cannot and will not patrol the streets of Chicago, and I will work with state and local officials to ensure that doesn't happen."
Mayor Johnson said in a statement that "the problem with the president's approach is that it is uncoordinated, uncalled for, and unsound."
"If the Trump administration is serious about driving down violence in Chicago, or anywhere else in America, then he should not have taken over $800 million away from violence prevention," he added.
Other elected officials in Illinois also expressed anger and alarm at the prospect of a Trump intervention in Chicago.
"After using Los Angeles and Washington, DC as his testing ground for authoritarian overreach, Trump is now openly flirting with the idea of taking over other states and cities," Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said on X.
"Trump’s goal is to incite fear in our communities and destabilize existing public safety efforts—all to create a justification to further abuse his power," the governor continued. "He's playing a game and creating a spectacle for the press to play along with."
"We don't play those games," Pritzker added. "Our commitment to law and order is delivering results. Crime rates are improving. Homicides are down by more than 30% in Chicago in the last year alone. Our progress in lowering crime has been made possible with [community violence intervention] programs that they’re defunding."
Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, a Democrat running for US Senate, said that "if Trump wants to take his ego trip on tour, he picked the wrong city."
"Chicago doesn't bow down to kings or roll out the red carpet for dictators," she added. "As a Black woman from the South Side, I can assure you... your political circus isn't welcome here."
Congresswoman Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) wrote on social media, "President Trump: You are not welcome in Chicago."
"Sending the National Guard endangers Black communities already overpoliced and under-invested in," she added. "If you cared about saving lives, you'd pass gun safety laws and fund community violence intervention."
"Trump’s goal is to incite fear in our communities and destabilize existing public safety efforts—all to create a justification to further abuse his power," the governor continued. "He's playing a game and creating a spectacle for the press to play along with."
"We don't play those games," Pritzker added. "Our commitment to law and order is delivering results. Crime rates are improving. Homicides are down by more than 30% in Chicago in the last year alone. Our progress in lowering crime has been made possible with [community violence intervention] programs that they’re defunding."
Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, a Democrat running for US Senate, said that "if Trump wants to take his ego trip on tour, he picked the wrong city."
"Chicago doesn't bow down to kings or roll out the red carpet for dictators," she added. "As a Black woman from the South Side, I can assure you... your political circus isn't welcome here."
Congresswoman Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) wrote on social media, "President Trump: You are not welcome in Chicago."
"Sending the National Guard endangers Black communities already overpoliced and under-invested in," she added. "If you cared about saving lives, you'd pass gun safety laws and fund community violence intervention."
'Declaring a war on America': Trump blasted for saying he may send military to more cities
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks on the day he is expected to sign a sweeping spending and tax legislation, known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," during a picnic with military families to mark Independence Day, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 4, 2025. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno
In what would be an unprecedented act and an escalation of his current occupation of Washington, D.C., President Donald Trump announced that he is willing to deploy U.S. Armed Forces to cities including Chicago and New York, after sending thousands of National Guard troops and FBI, DEA, DHS, ATF, and ICE agents to patrol the streets of the nation’s capital.
The President’s remarks came shortly after the Pentagon announced it will arm the 2,000 National Guard troops currently in Washington, D.C.
Deploying the U.S. Military to a major American city in peacetime—without a national emergency, without invoking the Insurrection Act, and without a governor’s request—would risk violating the Posse Comitatus Act.
“We haven’t had to bring in the regular military, which we’re willing to do, if we have to,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Friday, speaking about his occupation of Washington, D.C. “And after we do this, we’ll go to another location, and we’ll make it safe also. We’re going to make our country very safe, we’re going to make our cities very, very safe.”
“Chicago’s a mess,” Trump charged. “You have an incompetent mayor. Grossly incompetent, and we’ll straighten one out probably next. That’ll be our next one after this. And it won’t even be tough.”
“And the people in Chicago,” Trump claimed without offering evidence, “are screaming for us to come. They’re wearing red hats, just like this one. But they’re wearing red hats.”
“African American ladies, beautiful ladies, are saying, ‘Please, please, President Trump, come to Chicago. Please.'”
“I did great with the Black vote, as you know, and they want something to happen.”
Trump won just 15% of Black voters in 2024. 83% voted for Vice President Kamala Harris.
“So I think Chicago will be our next, and then we’ll help with New York.”
Critics blasted the President’s remarks.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker wrote: “Things People are Begging for: 1. Cheaper groceries 2. No Medicaid and SNAP cuts 3. Release of the Epstein Files.”
“Things People are NOT begging for: 1. An authoritarian power grab of major cities.”
Illinois Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton added: “If Trump wants to take his ego trip on tour, he picked the wrong city. Chicago doesn’t bow down to kings or roll out the red carpet for dictators. As a Black woman from the South Side, I can assure you @realdonaldtrump, your political circus isn’t welcome here.”
“Chicago isn’t going to sit down for this s—,” commented attorney Seth Abramson. “It’s illegal, it’s un-American, and it comes very close to declaring a war on America.”
“He said it. Chicago is next,” wrote former journalist Kat Abughazaleh. “This is an authoritarian order being pushed by a racist wannabe-dictator to terrorize one of America’s bluest and most diverse cities.”
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks on the day he is expected to sign a sweeping spending and tax legislation, known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," during a picnic with military families to mark Independence Day, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 4, 2025. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno
August 22, 2025
ALTERNET
In what would be an unprecedented act and an escalation of his current occupation of Washington, D.C., President Donald Trump announced that he is willing to deploy U.S. Armed Forces to cities including Chicago and New York, after sending thousands of National Guard troops and FBI, DEA, DHS, ATF, and ICE agents to patrol the streets of the nation’s capital.
The President’s remarks came shortly after the Pentagon announced it will arm the 2,000 National Guard troops currently in Washington, D.C.
Deploying the U.S. Military to a major American city in peacetime—without a national emergency, without invoking the Insurrection Act, and without a governor’s request—would risk violating the Posse Comitatus Act.
“We haven’t had to bring in the regular military, which we’re willing to do, if we have to,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Friday, speaking about his occupation of Washington, D.C. “And after we do this, we’ll go to another location, and we’ll make it safe also. We’re going to make our country very safe, we’re going to make our cities very, very safe.”
“Chicago’s a mess,” Trump charged. “You have an incompetent mayor. Grossly incompetent, and we’ll straighten one out probably next. That’ll be our next one after this. And it won’t even be tough.”
“And the people in Chicago,” Trump claimed without offering evidence, “are screaming for us to come. They’re wearing red hats, just like this one. But they’re wearing red hats.”
“African American ladies, beautiful ladies, are saying, ‘Please, please, President Trump, come to Chicago. Please.'”
“I did great with the Black vote, as you know, and they want something to happen.”
Trump won just 15% of Black voters in 2024. 83% voted for Vice President Kamala Harris.
“So I think Chicago will be our next, and then we’ll help with New York.”
Critics blasted the President’s remarks.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker wrote: “Things People are Begging for: 1. Cheaper groceries 2. No Medicaid and SNAP cuts 3. Release of the Epstein Files.”
“Things People are NOT begging for: 1. An authoritarian power grab of major cities.”
Illinois Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton added: “If Trump wants to take his ego trip on tour, he picked the wrong city. Chicago doesn’t bow down to kings or roll out the red carpet for dictators. As a Black woman from the South Side, I can assure you @realdonaldtrump, your political circus isn’t welcome here.”
“Chicago isn’t going to sit down for this s—,” commented attorney Seth Abramson. “It’s illegal, it’s un-American, and it comes very close to declaring a war on America.”
“He said it. Chicago is next,” wrote former journalist Kat Abughazaleh. “This is an authoritarian order being pushed by a racist wannabe-dictator to terrorize one of America’s bluest and most diverse cities.”
Trump to deploy National Guard across 19 states 'in the coming weeks': report
Members of the U.S. National Guard stand together, after U.S. President Donald Trump deployed National Guard and ordered an increase presence of federal law enforcement to assist in crime prevention, in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 16, 2025. REUTERS/Nathan Howard
August 22, 2025
ALTERNET
Roughly 1,700 National Guard troops will soon be on the streets in nearly two dozen states by the end of the summer, according to a new report.
In a Friday article, Fox News reported that President Donald Trump will soon be using his official powers to deploy the National Guard in 19 states "in the coming weeks." Trump will be deploying guardsmen under his presidential Title 32 authority, meaning that despite Trump initiating the deployment, guardsmen will still be reporting to state governors and their respective National Guard adjutant generals.
A Department of Defense official told Fox News that the guardsmen are meant to serve as a "visible deterrent" while assisting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Troops will be mainly handling administrative duties like "case management, transportation, logistical support and clerical functions associated with the processing of illegal migrants at the facilities," according to the report. This could include "data collection, fingerprinting, DNA swapping and photographing of personnel in ICE custody."
The network further reported that planning documents show the National Guard will be deploying in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming. All of those states save for New Mexico have Republican governors. Their window of deployment will reportedly last between August and mid-November.
A spokesperson for the Virginia National Guard (VNG) told Fox that training for their deployment — scheduled for early September — will begin next week. The VNG spokesperson added that there are so far approximately 60 soldiers and airmen who will be deployed in the Old Dominion State.
"VNG personnel will not conduct law enforcement functions, and VNG support will not include making arrests," the spokesperson said. "VNG Soldiers and Airmen will report directly to ICE leadership at their assigned duty locations but remain under the control and direction of the Virginia Governor and Adjutant General of Virginia."
The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 prohibits the U.S. military from conducting law enforcement operations on American soil. However, the Act doesn't apply to the president's Title 32 to call up the National Guard. The reported deployment comes on the heels of Trump telling reporters in an Oval Office press gaggle that he was contemplating sending the military to Chicago and New York City, following his imposition of federal control over Washington D.C.'s law enforcement operations.
Click here to read Fox's full report.
'Bad things': Trump now threatening 'complete and total' occupation of DC
Members of the Police patrol at The Wharf after U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of the federal take over of the Metropolitan Police Department under the Home Rule Act and the deployment of the National Guard to assist in crime prevention in the nation's capital, in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 13, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
Members of the Police patrol at The Wharf after U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of the federal take over of the Metropolitan Police Department under the Home Rule Act and the deployment of the National Guard to assist in crime prevention in the nation's capital, in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 13, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
ALTERNET
August 22, 2025
Despite polls showing his takeover of the D.C. Metropolitan Police and deployment of federal forces are deeply unpopular, President Donald Trump is now threatening to escalate, vowing a “complete and total” occupation of the District of Columbia.
In addition to taking over the Metropolitan Police, Trump has deployed thousands of National Guard troops, ICE, DEA, FBI, and DHS agents to patrol the city’s streets, often in areas with little to no crime.
Restaurant bookings dropped by double digits, and experts warn the current takeover is already hurting local businesses, CNN reported.
“Despite Trump’s claim earlier this week that DC restaurants have been ‘busier than they’ve been in a long time,’ reservations tracked by OpenTable have been down recently. On August 11, when Trump announced the takeover, seated diners dropped 16% compared to a year ago. Two days later, when troops mobilized around the city, seated diners fell 31% compared to a year ago.”
“If there’s a perception that DC is turning into a police state, then there’s going to be some hesitancy to go out and explore the city,” Adam Kamins, director of regional economics at Moody’s, told CNN. “That would be true of visitors from overseas but also of local residents who just want to steer clear of all of this.”
As Restaurant Week kicked off this week, restaurant visits were down 22 percent.
While restaurants are a good barometer, the downturn is more widespread.
“In the week starting August 11, foot traffic was down about 81% of retail-store categories in Washington compared to data from a year ago, according to pass_by, with car dealerships, department stores, convenience stores and beauty-supply shops seeing some of the steepest drops.”
President Donald Trump promoted a very different perception in the early hours of Friday morning.
“Washington, D.C. is SAFE AGAIN!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social website. “The crowds are coming back, the spirit is high, and our D.C. National Guard and Police are doing a fantastic job. They are out in force, and are NOT PLAYING GAMES!!!”
A Washington Post poll released Wednesday found nearly eight out of ten (79%) D.C. residents oppose Trump’s takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department, and the presence of the National Guard and federal agents patrolling their city’s streets. About the same number, 78%, said they felt very safe in their neighborhoods.
The President made other demonstrably false claims as well: “As bad as it sounds to say, there were no murders this week for the first time in memory.”
According to Fox News, the last time there were no murders in D.C. was in March.
Trump then made his threat: “Mayor Muriel Bowser must immediately stop giving false and highly inaccurate crime figures, or bad things will happen, including a complete and total Federal takeover of the City! Washington D.C. will soon be great again!!!”
The President isn’t the only Trump focused on the takeover.
Donald Trump Jr. on Friday morning told Newsmax, “Maybe we should roll out the tour to Portland, Seattle, you know, the other what we call, you know, c— hole cities of the country.”
He also claimed that Democratic residents of D.C. are very happy about the Trump takeover, a claim not supported by polling.
Watch the video below or at this link.
Despite polls showing his takeover of the D.C. Metropolitan Police and deployment of federal forces are deeply unpopular, President Donald Trump is now threatening to escalate, vowing a “complete and total” occupation of the District of Columbia.
In addition to taking over the Metropolitan Police, Trump has deployed thousands of National Guard troops, ICE, DEA, FBI, and DHS agents to patrol the city’s streets, often in areas with little to no crime.
Restaurant bookings dropped by double digits, and experts warn the current takeover is already hurting local businesses, CNN reported.
“Despite Trump’s claim earlier this week that DC restaurants have been ‘busier than they’ve been in a long time,’ reservations tracked by OpenTable have been down recently. On August 11, when Trump announced the takeover, seated diners dropped 16% compared to a year ago. Two days later, when troops mobilized around the city, seated diners fell 31% compared to a year ago.”
“If there’s a perception that DC is turning into a police state, then there’s going to be some hesitancy to go out and explore the city,” Adam Kamins, director of regional economics at Moody’s, told CNN. “That would be true of visitors from overseas but also of local residents who just want to steer clear of all of this.”
As Restaurant Week kicked off this week, restaurant visits were down 22 percent.
While restaurants are a good barometer, the downturn is more widespread.
“In the week starting August 11, foot traffic was down about 81% of retail-store categories in Washington compared to data from a year ago, according to pass_by, with car dealerships, department stores, convenience stores and beauty-supply shops seeing some of the steepest drops.”
President Donald Trump promoted a very different perception in the early hours of Friday morning.
“Washington, D.C. is SAFE AGAIN!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social website. “The crowds are coming back, the spirit is high, and our D.C. National Guard and Police are doing a fantastic job. They are out in force, and are NOT PLAYING GAMES!!!”
A Washington Post poll released Wednesday found nearly eight out of ten (79%) D.C. residents oppose Trump’s takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department, and the presence of the National Guard and federal agents patrolling their city’s streets. About the same number, 78%, said they felt very safe in their neighborhoods.
The President made other demonstrably false claims as well: “As bad as it sounds to say, there were no murders this week for the first time in memory.”
According to Fox News, the last time there were no murders in D.C. was in March.
Trump then made his threat: “Mayor Muriel Bowser must immediately stop giving false and highly inaccurate crime figures, or bad things will happen, including a complete and total Federal takeover of the City! Washington D.C. will soon be great again!!!”
The President isn’t the only Trump focused on the takeover.
Donald Trump Jr. on Friday morning told Newsmax, “Maybe we should roll out the tour to Portland, Seattle, you know, the other what we call, you know, c— hole cities of the country.”
He also claimed that Democratic residents of D.C. are very happy about the Trump takeover, a claim not supported by polling.
Watch the video below or at this link.
No comments:
Post a Comment