Trump threatens military action in Chicago

Sunday 07 September 2025 - 09:30

By: Sahili Aya

Trump threatens military action in Chicago

Donald Trump once again threatened military intervention in Chicago on Saturday, the third-largest city in the United States, while Democratic leaders denounced him as a “dictator in the making.”

On his Truth Social account, Trump posted a message stating, “Chicago will understand why it’s called the Department of War,” referencing the recently renamed U.S. Department of Defense. The post included an AI-generated image of the president in military attire against a fiery backdrop with helicopters over Chicago and the caption “Chipocalypse Now,” a play on the Vietnam War film Apocalypse Now.

The image also featured a quote twisted from the movie: “I love the smell of evictions in the morning,” reflecting Trump’s hardline stance on immigration.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker responded sharply on X, writing: “This is not a joke. The President of the United States threatens to wage war on an American city. Illinois will not be intimidated by a dictator in the making.”

Trump has repeatedly referred to Chicago as a “rat hole” and the “murder capital of the world,” threatening to deploy the National Guard, the military reserve force, as he has already done in Los Angeles and Washington.

Since mid-August, uniformed troops with armored vehicles have patrolled Washington, prompting hundreds and possibly thousands of protesters to demonstrate against what they call the “occupation” of the city. Signs read, “In Washington, the real crime is at the White House.”

On Friday, Trump signed a decree renaming the Department of Defense as the “Department of War,” saying it was meant to send a “message of victory” and “strength” to the world.