Military mobilized by Trump in Chicago escalates

In a surprising turn of events, former U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to intervene militarily in Chicago, citing escalating violence in the city. Trump made the announcement on his platform, Truth Social, at around 21:05 (9:05 PM) on an unspecified date.

The post, which was taken seriously by Chicago authorities, sparked controversy and tension. The graphic shared by Trump depicted Chicago's Defense Ministry as a "War Ministry," reminiscent of the film "Apocalypse Now." This depiction was a point of contention, causing further controversy around the potential military intervention.

Tensions have been high for weeks between the U.S. government and the Democratic mayor and the Democratic-governed state of Illinois, where Chicago is located. The situation in Chicago, as well as the potential military intervention, is a point of contention and controversy.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson commented that Trump's threats are beneath the dignity of the nation and that Trump wants to occupy and break the city's constitution. Johnson stated that the city must defend democracy from Trump's authoritarianism by protecting itself from Trump.

Johnson accused the Trump administration of cutting funding for federal agencies aimed at preventing gun violence. This, he argued, has contributed to the city's current situation. Most of the seized weapons in Chicago, according to Johnson, originated from Republican-governed states.

In a move to counteract the potential threat, Johnson announced that local police have seized a total of 24,000 weapons since his inauguration in 2023. However, Trump did not specify his plans, the progress of the plans, if the National Guard will be deployed, or when the operation might begin.

The U.S. government's intervention plans in Chicago are causing tension and controversy. This would be the third city where President Donald Trump is planning to intervene, following Los Angeles and the capital, Washington. In June, people took to the streets in California to protest ICE raids against migrants, which the government wanted to prevent.

The city's response to Trump's post was to defend itself from potential authoritarian actions. The Democratic mayor of Chicago, Brandon Johnson, has accused the Trump administration of threatening the progress made in safety due to funding cuts for gun violence prevention agencies. The situation remains tense as the city prepares for potential intervention.