Weeks after President Donald Trump sent federal troops to police Washington, D.C., the president is following up on his threats to intervene in other cities as well. Comments from Trump, as well as news reports, indicate that Chicago may be the next target for a federal occupation, with other Black-led cities possibly being targeted.
Trump is making plans to send troops to Chicago
The Washington Post reported on Saturday that the Pentagon has spent weeks planning for a potential deployment of thousands of National Guard troops to Chicago to crack down on crime, remove people without homes and detain undocumented immigrants. The federal intervention, similar to a controversial federal takeover of policing in D.C. this month and a deployment of federal troops to Los Angeles earlier this year, could begin as early as September. Trump attacked Chicago’s leadership, telling reporters in comments from the White House, “Chicago’s a mess, you have an incompetent mayor, grossly incompetent.” Trump also claimed that people in the city, including “African American ladies,” have called for him to intervene there; conservative influencer Danielle Carter-Walters has indicated that she believes she is the lady Trump referenced.
Leaders call a possible Chicago intervention unnecessary and illegal
The possibility of Trump expanding his federal takeover strategy to Chicago has drawn sharp rebukes from city and state leaders. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson released a statement in response to Trump’s comments, noting “the City has not received any formal communication from the Trump administration regarding additional federal law enforcement or military deployments to Chicago.” Johnson’s statement also mentioned that crime has decreased in the city. Johnson has also deemed the potential occupation illegal, arguing it “would be the most flagrant violation of our Constitution in the 21st Century. The City of Chicago does not need a military occupation,” he posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, D-Ill., also indicated, “The State of Illinois at this time has received no requests or outreach from the federal government asking if we need assistance, and we have made no requests for federal intervention.”
Pritzker, Johnson and Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul will give additional remarks on the matter on Monday.
Trump targeting other Black-led cities
With Washington already being occupied and Chicago potentially following soon, Trump has indicated that other cities may receive the same treatment. Responding to insults from Trump, Democratic Maryland Gov. Wes Moore issued a challenge to the president to join him and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott for a “public safety walk” in the city, which in turn prompted Trump to threaten to send federal troops to Baltimore as well. Trump has also suggested New York City as a possible target of federal takeover. Observers have noted that Trump appears to target cities with Black mayors, ignoring falling crime statistics in many of the places he’s labeled as dangerous and in need of intervention.
Suppose Trump continues to back his denigrating rhetoric with attempts to send in federal troops to occupy American cities. In that case, this policy is likely to continue to face political and legal pushback. Whether Trump can extend his controversial interventions to other cities, the attempt to do so remains emblematic of his approach to the presidency: heavy-handed, authoritarian and tinged with potential racial bias.
