President Donald Trump’s plan to deploy troops to Chicago is an abuse of power, the Democratic governor of the US state of Illinois has said.
There is no emergency that justifies the National Guard being sent to Illinois and the US president is “attempting to manufacture a crisis”, JB Pritzker said in a statement.
Trump has already deployed about 2,000 troops to Washington DC, where the local government is also run by opposition Democrats, as part of what he is portraying as a crackdown on crime in US cities.
On Friday, Trump said he would implement the policy in Chicago and New York – two other major Democrat-controlled cities.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson responded to Trump’s comments, saying in a statement that he had not received any information about the deployment of the National Guard in Chicago.
He said the city government has “grave concerns” about any deployment of troops, labelling the president’s approach “uncoordinated, uncalled for, and unsound”.
Johnson added that the “unlawful deployment” could “inflame tensions between residents and law enforcement”, and threaten the progress the city has made in reducing crime.
Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the National Guard personnel patrolling the streets of Washington DC to be armed, as part of the Trump administration’s efforts against what they have described as “out of control” crime in the city.
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Just last week, the Pentagon and US Army said that troops involved in the deployment – who now number approximately 2,000 – would not carry weapons.
While the Trump administration has lauded the mission, polls show it is deeply unpopular with many residents in staunchly Democratic Washington.
In a statement, the Pentagon said that National Guard troops “will soon be on mission with their service-issued weapons, consistent with their mission and training”.
It is unclear if the decision to arm the troops will mean that their role in Washington is changing.
So far, troops have not taken part in law enforcement operations – which have been carried out by local police and officers from various federal agencies – and have instead been posted near local landmarks including the National Mall and Union Station, the capital’s primary passenger rail transportation hub.
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser has not commented on the decision.
At the White House Oval Office on Friday, Trump said the mission has brought “total safety” to Washington – and that it could be expanded to Chicago – a city where the leadership has sometimes found itself at odds with the Trump administration.
“DC was a hellhole,” he said earlier on Friday, a day after visiting some of the deployed troops. “But now it’s safe.”
As many as 1,700 National Guardsmen are expected to mobilise in 19 states in the coming weeks, US media report. Of the states expecting a National Guard presence, Texas will have the most troops.
The guardsmen will reportedly support Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) efforts and serve as a visible deterrent.
Despite declaring the Washington DC mission a success, Trump said that he is considering declaring a national emergency once the deployment’s 30-day deadline expires.
“If I think we’re in great shape here, that’s one thing. But if I don’t, I’m just going to say it’s a national emergency,” he said. “If I have a national emergency, I can keep the troops here as long as I want.”
Several Republican-led states, including South Carolina and West Virginia, have also contributed forces to the crackdown.
Additionally, Trump said he would ask Congress for $2bn (£1.48bn) to help beautify the city. Earlier this year, the Republican-controlled Congress passed legislation that saw Washington’s budget cut by a total of $1.1bn.
In a post on X on Friday morning, Attorney General Pam Bondi said more than 700 arrests had been made since the operation started – including 40 on Thursday – and 91 illegal firearms had been seized.
Local officials have questioned the need for federal intervention in the city, with Mayor Bowser pointing to a “huge decrease in crime” that she claimed was at a “30-year violent crime low”.
A poll conducted by the Washington Post and Schar School released earlier this week found the deployment deeply unpopular among the city’s residents, with almost 80% saying they are opposed to both the deployment of federal officers and the National Guard, as well as the takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Reported by BBC
