“Chicago will soon understand why the Department of War is called that,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on September 6.
A day earlier, Trump signed an executive order renaming the U.S. Department of Defense to the Department of War, a move widely seen as an attempt to project strength and emphasize the military’s readiness to fight.
Governor Pritzker, a Democrat, expressed outrage over Trump’s remarks. “The President of the United States is threatening war against an American city. This is not a joke, and it is far from normal,” Pritzker wrote on X, stressing that Chicago “will not be intimidated.”
The same day, protesters took to the streets of Chicago carrying signs such as “No Trump, No Troops.” Passing Trump Tower, some demonstrators made offensive gestures toward the building.
Trump has been pushing to deploy the National Guard to Democrat-led cities, including Chicago, which he accuses of failing to control violent crime. In 2024, Chicago recorded 573 homicides—far higher than New York’s 377 and Los Angeles’ 268.
Previously, Trump had sent National Guard troops and federal agents to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., moves that drew strong opposition and legal challenges. Critics called the deployments an unnecessary show of force. On September 6, thousands marched in downtown Washington demanding an end to what they called a federal “occupation.” In Los Angeles, local officials denounced heavy-handed tactics by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, who allegedly used violence in street arrests of undocumented immigrants.
Beyond Chicago, Trump has also threatened to send federal forces to Baltimore and New Orleans, citing crime and illegal immigration concerns.