Chicago Faces Potential Military Intervention under Trump's 'War Ministry' Threat - Trump, post-renaming, issues a warning to Chicago, hinting at potential involvement of the War Department.
In an unprecedented move, former U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he is threatening to deploy the "War Department" to Chicago. This decision comes amid Trump's previous threats to deploy the National Guard in cities governed by the Democratic Party, including Chicago.
Trump's announcement was made on Truth Social, where he also shared an image of himself in military attire, with helicopters flying over the Chicago skyline, and a quote referencing the 1979 film "Apocalypse Now." The threat has raised concerns about the potential for increased tensions and violence in the city.
The image accompanying Trump's announcement showed the former President in military attire, with helicopters flying over the skyline of Chicago, and a quote referencing the 1979 film "Apocalypse Now."
Trump had previously referred to Chicago as "the most dangerous city in the world" and vowed to tackle the alleged rampant crime there. However, statistics show a significant decrease in violent crimes in the city between 2023 and 2024.
Trump's use of an alternate name for the Department of Defense in his threat to Chicago may be seen as an attempt to circumvent established protocol. It is important to note that the official title of the Department of Defense is not set by the President, but by Congress.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker expressed concern over Trump's threat, stating that it is not normal for the President to threaten to wage war on an American city. Protesters in Chicago demonstrated against Trump's plans on Saturday, holding signs like "Stop this fascist regime" and "No Trump, no troops."
Trump signed a decree on Friday allowing the "Department of War" to be used as an alternate name for the "Department of Defense." Critics accuse Trump of exaggerating the extent of crime with right-wing populist rhetoric to justify his increasingly authoritarian style of government.
This is not the first time Trump has mobilized military forces in response to protests. In June, he deployed the National Guard and Marine infantry in Los Angeles to end protests against his immigration policy. Thousands of people demonstrated against the "occupation" of the US capital by the National Guard in Washington.
As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how Chicago officials will respond to Trump's threat and whether the city will see an increase in tensions and violence.
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