CHICAGO — President Donald Trump is reportedly preparing to send thousands of National Guard — and possibly active‑duty troops — into Chicago as early as September, according to The Washington Post.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson have condemned the move, calling it unnecessary, unconstitutional, and politically motivated.
Trump’s comments come weeks after he sent 2,000 National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., claiming the action would cut crime and homelessness — despite the capital seeing its lowest crime rate in 30 years.
Pritzker says Illinois never requested federal help, accusing Trump of “manufacturing a crisis.” Johnson has called the plan “the most flagrant violation of our Constitution in the 21st Century,” citing 2025 statistics showing major crime down sharply in Chicago.
The legality of sending federal troops to states is already being challenged in court, following a controversial 2025 deployment to Los Angeles. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul warns the Chicago plan is “unwise” and “un‑American.”
