Trump Threatens to Send “Department of War” Forces to Chicago as Protests Grow
Trump Targets Chicago with “War” Warning
President Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric on Saturday by threatening to unleash his newly rebranded “Department of War” on Chicago, after thousands marched in protest against federal troop and immigration agent deployments in Democratic-led cities.
Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump shared a parody image mimicking the film Apocalypse Now. The edited picture showed helicopters flying over a fiery Chicago skyline with the caption: “I love the smell of deportations in the morning. Chicago about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR.”
The message, which Trump labeled “Chipocalypse Now,” is his latest warning aimed at Chicago, long a target of his law-and-order agenda.
Federal Deployments Stir Backlash
The president has already ordered National Guard troops and immigration officers into Los Angeles and Washington, DC, and has threatened similar moves in Portland, New Orleans, and Baltimore.
On Friday, Trump also signed an executive order renaming the Department of Defense as the Department of War, claiming the shift sends “a message of strength and victory” to the world.
Illinois Leaders Push Back Strongly
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker condemned Trump’s remarks, calling them “an attack on democracy itself.” He warned that the president’s threats to occupy Chicago were “not normal” and “not acceptable.”
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson echoed the outrage, accusing Trump of trying to intimidate the city. “This is about defending our Constitution and protecting our people from authoritarian overreach,” Johnson said.
Thousands Rally in Chicago and DC
In Chicago, more than a thousand demonstrators took to the streets with signs demanding “ICE out of Illinois” and chanting against federal intervention. Many protesters waved Palestinian flags, linking Trump’s crackdown on immigrants to global struggles against occupation.
Nazek Sankari of the US Palestinian Community Network told the crowd: “We will not bow to Trump’s threats. Just as Palestinians resist in Gaza, we will resist here in Chicago.”
Community organizer Viviana Barajas vowed that residents would push back if federal troops arrive: “Chicago will not be silenced. We have learned from Los Angeles and Washington, and we are ready to stand up.”
In Washington, DC, protesters marched under a banner that read “End the DC Occupation”. Chants of “Trump must go” and “Resist tyranny” echoed through the capital, where 2,000 federal troops were deployed last month despite crime being at a 30-year low.
Residents Warn of Authoritarian Overreach
Mark Fitzpatrick, a longtime DC resident and former U.S. diplomat, said he was alarmed by the federal presence: “Having troops and agents patrol our streets is an affront to democracy. And DC residents have no senators or voting members of Congress — making us even more vulnerable.”
Local artist Jun Lee joined the protest carrying a hand-carved sign reading “Free DC”. She said she never imagined witnessing such scenes in her own city: “I thought these were things you only saw in history documentaries. But this is happening now, in our home. And we have to fight back.”
Trump Defends Expansive Presidential Power
Trump has repeatedly argued that he holds sweeping authority to deploy the National Guard. When asked about accusations of authoritarianism, he responded: “Most people say if I stop crime, I can be whatever I want. I’m not a dictator — but as president, I have the right to act if our cities are in danger.”