US President Donald Trump has escalated tensions by threatening to wage “war” on Chicago, sparking mass protests in the city and in Washington, DC.
His remarks, coupled with an unprecedented federal crackdown, drew sharp condemnation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who branded Trump a “wannabe dictator.”
On his social media platform, Trump wrote: “I love the smell of deportations in the morning. Chicago about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR.” He labeled the coming operation “Chipocalypse Now,” a play on the Vietnam War film Apocalypse Now.
The president has repeatedly threatened to expand immigration enforcement in Democratic-led cities. His administration has already deployed National Guard troops in Los Angeles and Washington, DC, and has hinted at sending forces to Baltimore, New Orleans, and Portland.
Outrage from illinois leaders
Governor Pritzker warned that Trump’s rhetoric was an attack on American democracy. “The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city. This is not a joke. This is not normal,” he wrote on X.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also accused Trump of trying to “occupy our city and break our Constitution,” urging residents to resist what he called authoritarian overreach.
Protests in Chicago and Washington
More than a thousand demonstrators filled downtown Chicago on Saturday, holding signs reading “I.C.E. out of everywhere” and waving Palestinian flags. Nazek Sankari of the US Palestinian Community Network told the crowd: “We are inspired by the steadfastness of Palestinians in Gaza, and it is why we refuse to cower to Trump and his threats.”
In Washington, protesters at the “We Are All DC” march carried a red banner declaring “END THE D.C. OCCUPATION.” Critics accused Trump of exaggerating crime figures to justify the deployment of 2,000 troops, despite the capital recording a 30-year low in violent crime last year.
Fear of authoritarianism
Residents and activists warned that Trump’s actions resembled authoritarian rule. Mark Fitzpatrick, a former US diplomat living in DC, called the deployments “an affront to democracy.” Artist Jun Lee, carrying a “Free DC” sign, said she felt as though she was living through a “history documentary in real life.”
Trump, meanwhile, has suggested he holds “limitless powers” to deploy the National Guard. While denying he is a dictator, he added: “If I think our country is in danger – and it is in danger in these cities – I can do it.”
With protests swelling across major US cities and legal challenges mounting, Trump’s aggressive tactics risk deepening the standoff between the federal government and local authorities. Critics warn the president’s escalating rhetoric could further inflame unrest and push
