CHICAGO (WLS) – Illinois officials strongly condemned reports on Saturday suggesting former President Donald Trump is preparing to deploy federal troops to Chicago in the coming weeks.
According to The Washington Post, Pentagon officials have been weighing military options for Chicago, potentially involving several thousand National Guard members as early as next month. The plan would follow Trump’s recent use of federal troops in Washington, D.C., during his ongoing campaign to address crime, homelessness, and immigration in major cities.
Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton denounced the proposal, calling it an attempt to exploit fear for political gain.
“Tonight’s reporting proves what we already know: Trump will go to any length to create chaos if it benefits him politically—regardless of who gets hurt,” Stratton said. She added that under the Pritzker-Stratton administration, crime in Chicago has been steadily declining, leaving “no rationale for this decision other than distraction.”
Governor JB Pritzker also pushed back, stressing that Illinois has not requested federal assistance.
“The safety of Illinois residents is always my top priority,” Pritzker said. “There is no emergency that warrants the President federalizing our National Guard or deploying troops to our state. This is a manufactured crisis meant to politicize our service members. We will uphold the law, protect Illinois’ sovereignty, and stand with our people.”
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, speaking at a neighborhood block party earlier Saturday, emphasized the city’s resilience.
“One homicide is one too many, and we know there is work to be done,” Johnson said. “But what the federal government is portraying is false. Chicago is about families, love, and supporting one another. We are the best keepers of one another.”
Trump, speaking in the Oval Office on Friday, signaled that Chicago could be his next target after Washington, D.C. “I think Chicago will be our next,” he told reporters, later suggesting New York could follow. Wearing a red cap that read Trump Was Right About Everything, he claimed Chicago residents were urging him to send in federal forces.
Critics, however, say the move is politically motivated. “The problem with the President’s approach is that it is uncoordinated, uncalled for, and unsound,” Johnson said in an earlier statement.
Legal experts note that while presidents have the authority to federalize National Guard units, such actions are rare and often face legal challenges. “Until recently, you could count the number of times the Guard has been federalized on one hand,” ABC7 Chief Legal Analyst Gil Soffer explained. “But we’re seeing it happen more frequently now.”
Despite Trump’s characterization of Chicago as a “very dangerous place,” police data reviewed by the ABC7 data team paints a different picture. Compared to last year, overall crime in the city is down 13%, violent crime is down 23%, and property crime has dropped 11%.
City officials confirmed that Chicago’s legal team is already preparing for potential federal action.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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