Following a federal takeover of Washington D.C., U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly setting his sights on Chicago, Illinois, as the next target in his nationwide crackdown. According to a report by the Washington Post, the Pentagon has been developing a military deployment plan for Chicago for several weeks. The move is linked to the administration’s broader push against crime, illegal immigration, and homelessness.
The plan could involve mobilizing “a few thousand members of the National Guard as soon as September.” This comes just after Trump hinted at his intentions for Chicago on Friday, calling the city “a mess” with an “incompetent mayor.” He stated, “We’ll straighten that one out probably next. That’ll be our next one after this. And it won’t even be tough.”
Officials familiar with the matter told the Washington Post that a military intervention in Chicago has been a long-standing consideration, likely to be coordinated with expanded operations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to locate undocumented migrants.
The prospect of federal military intervention has been met with immediate and fierce criticism from local and state officials. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker accused the President of trying to “create chaos” and of “authoritarian overreach.” Pritzker stated, “Trump’s goal is to incite fear in our communities and destabilize existing public safety efforts—all to create a justification to further abuse his power.” He also noted that his office has not received any formal communication from the Trump administration regarding military planning.
Echoing these concerns, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson cited “grave concerns” over Trump’s statements and future plans. “The problem with the President’s approach is that it is uncoordinated, uncalled for, and unsound,” Mayor Johnson said in a statement. Chicago officials have reportedly taken the threats seriously but have yet to be contacted by the federal government.
The reported Chicago plan follows Trump’s recent actions in Washington D.C., where he invoked the Home Rule Act to bring the city’s police department under federal control and deployed approximately 2,000 National Guard troops. Trump framed the D.C. takeover as “liberation day” for the capital, citing high crime rates. The president has also hinted that New York City may be a future target, particularly after the victory of Zohran Mamdani in the Democratic mayoral primary.