Trump Threatens Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in Illinois and the third-largest city in the United States. On the 2nd of this month, Trump announced that he would send the National Guard to Chicago to fight crime. “We will go. I didn’t say when, but we will go.” Chicago Mayor Johnson, a Democrat, and Illinois Governor Pritzker have repeatedly expressed opposition to this move.
On the 5th, Trump signed an executive order reverting to the historical name of the Department of Defense, renaming it the “Department of War.” The order authorizes the use of “War Department” as a “secondary designation” (essentially a nickname) for the Department of Defense. Under US law, Congress has the sole authority to establish, abolish, and rename US federal government departments.
On the 6th, Trump posted on social media, again targeting Chicago: “Chicago will learn why the (Department of Defense) is called the War Department.”
This latest statement drew criticism from Democrats in Illinois and Chicago. Governor Pritzker posted on social media: “The President of the United States is threatening to use force against an American city. This is not a joke. This is not normal.” He stated that Illinois would not be “intimidated.”
Chicago Mayor Johnson condemned Trump’s attempt to “occupy” Chicago as unconstitutional, calling the “President’s threats an affront to our national dignity.” Johnson also stated that Chicago would defend its democracy. Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth made a similar statement.
CNN reported on the 6th, citing White House officials, that Customs and Border Protection and other agencies have begun deploying personnel to Chicago, and that the Trump administration reserves the right to deploy the National Guard.
Chicago residents held protests that day, demanding an “end to the fascist regime” and a “rejection of troops.” Meanwhile, protests demanding an “end to the occupation” were also held in Washington, D.C. In June, without a request from California Governor Gavin Newsom, Trump repeatedly ordered approximately 4,000 California National Guard members and approximately 700 US Marines to the Los Angeles area to assist federal agencies. On August 11, Trump again announced the deployment of the National Guard to help restore law and order and public safety in Washington, D.C., while labeling Democratic-run cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Baltimore, and Oakland as “problem cities.”
California and Washington have filed lawsuits over the Trump administration’s forced deployment of the National Guard. On the 2nd of this month, Judge Charles Breyer of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California ruled that the Trump administration’s deployment of troops to Los Angeles to respond to public protests violated the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, which prohibits the use of U.S. military force for domestic law enforcement without congressional consent. The Trump administration has appealed the decision, and this legal battle reflects deep political divisions.
Large-Scale Protests in Washington, D.C., and Chicago
According to US media reports, at a march in Chicago on the 6th, demonstrators held signs reading “Stop the Fascist Regime” and “Oppose Trump, Reject Troops” to protest the Trump administration’s plan to deploy the National Guard to Chicago.
Organizers condemned the political strategy of the Trump administration, which they said involved targeting immigrant communities and expanding deportations under the guise of crime reduction to achieve its goals.
The same day, a march in Washington, D.C., was one of the largest demonstrations to date against the Trump administration’s takeover of Washington, D.C. Demonstrators held red banners with the words “End the Occupation of Washington, D.C.” in English and Spanish, chanted slogans criticizing Trump, and held signs reading “Trump Must Resign Now” and “Give Washington, D.C. Free.” They marched from Meridian Hill Park to Freedom Plaza near the White House to protest the National Guard and federal agents patrolling the nation’s capital.
The march, titled “We Belong to Washington, D.C.”, was co-sponsored by local “home rule” advocates and the American Civil Liberties Union.
Mark Fitzpatrick, who participated in the demonstration on the 6th and is a former US diplomat who has lived in Washington, DC for about ten years, said he was concerned about the Trump administration’s treatment of Washington, DC.
