In a strong warning, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois said, “Well, in essence, we know he just declared war on Chicago.” This comes after recent threats by Trump of sending the National Guard to the city. Duckworth was speaking on a famous TV show and emphasized that such an action would perpetrate illegality. But as of now, there is no indicator that the troops will be landing in Chicago anytime soon. This has provided hot talk about federal power and city rights in America.
Duckworth, a Democrat and war veteran, decried that what Trump was doing was “not normal” and “not acceptable.” More important, she stated, “I take really what the president of the United States says seriously, for that is the respect you have to give to the office”. Of course, Trump has been touting heavily about illegal immigration and crime. He said that he wanted to use military force to fix problems in big cities like Chicago, which is the third ‘biggest’ city in the country.
Only this past Saturday, Trump posted on his new social media platform Truth Social. The message was chilling: “Chicago about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR.” Also posted a picture that AI created of a helicopter attack from the famous movie “Apocalypse Now.” This caused many to worry about what Trump has up his sleeve next.
On Friday, Trump signed an executive order to change the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War. Experts said that this was a change that needed Congress’s approval to be truly official. It seems as though Trump is going to be asking lawmakers for that soon. He wants to be perceived as tough on national security and law enforcement.
Trump has sent the National Guard elsewhere already. In June, he sent troops to Los Angeles to combat crime and deal with immigration issues. But California’s Governor, Gavin Newsom, fought back in court. Last week a judge declared that the Los Angeles action was illegal under federal law. However, this injunction applies to California only, not to such other states as Illinois.
Trump had also sent the National Guard to Washington, D.C. last month as part of his anti-crime plan. He vowed to do the same in cities like Chicago and Baltimore. Trump on one day said୍ System: said, “We’re going in” to Chicago. However, the next day VP JD Vance said there are “no immediate plans” for that. This back-and-forth has left local leaders confused.
On Saturday, Duckworth paid a visit to a military base outside Chicago, the Naval Station Great Lakes. She was accompanied by other Illinois officials upon getting information that some of the federal immigration agents were going to work there. Site leaders remarked that they only require office space for these agents. There are no plans for barracks, holding cells, or any kind of help for troops coming into Chicago. Illinois has asked the White House many times what their plan is, but they got no answer or discussion on working with local police.
“If they were really serious about fighting crime, then they would work with local law enforcement,” Duckworth said. She noted that Chicago leaders wanted to handle crime by themselves. They were scared that federal troops would do more harm and bring about lawsuits.
Duckworth was clear: An order to send troops to a U.S. city like Chicago without permission would be illegal. “It would be an illegal order to declare war on a major city, any city within the United States, by the President of the United States,” she said. Having been an Army helicopter pilot and lost both legs in Iraq, Duckworth knows just how dangerous war can be. She feels that Trump’s words could hurt the trust between the federal government and the states.
A new poll indicates the American people’s position on this. Of those asked, 58% do not want the president to send the National Guard to cities outside of Washington, D.C. But 85% of Trump’s supporters, who are mostly Republicans, support the idea. This division shows how split the country is over using the military for home issues.
Some local leaders in Chicago are pushing back hard. They say the city has its own plans to fight against crime and it does not want outside troops. If Trump tries to send the Guard, this could lead to big court fights a la California. Duckworth and others are ready to challenge it legally.
So, in the end, Duckworth’s words remind everyone of the balance in America. The President has power, but it is the states and the cities that have rights too. For now, there are no troops moving to Chicago. But Trump’s posts and orders keep the tension high. Watch for what happens next in this ongoing battle over National Guard use in U.S. cities.
5 Key Takeaways from Sen. Duckworth’s Chicago Trump Warning
- Trump’s Scary Post: On Saturday, Trump posted a message to social media that referred to the ‘defense department’ as the “Department of WAR” overlaying an image from a war movie film to spell out an attack on Chicago.
- Past Deployments: According to Trump, the National Guard was sent to Los Angeles in June and to Washington, D.C. just last month; the LA move was declared illegal by a judge, but only for that state.
- No Plans Thus Far: Vice President JD Vance stated that there were as yet no immediate plans to send troops to Chicago despite Trump declaring, “we’re going in.”
- Name Change Controversy: Trump signed an executive order to rename the Department of Defense to the Department of War, pending Congressional approval.
- Public Divide: A poll shows 58% of Americans oppose National Guard deployment to cities like Chicago, while 85% of Trump supporters back it.
A matter that brings to the forefront the issue of federal action versus local rights. Sen. Duckworth’s tough stand reflects the anxiety of the Democrats over Trump’s plans. Let’s all stay tuned for further developments re ‘National Guard threat to Chicago.
