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46m ago

Trump Threatens Chicago Deployment as He Orders National Guard Quick‑Reaction Units

Illinois leaders say no help was requested, citing falling crime.

National Guard troops stand guard outside a Shake Shack in Washington, D.C.
President Donald Trump visits the U.S. Park Police Anacostia Operations Facility on August 21, 2025 in Washington, DC.
President Donald Trump speaks after signing an executive order, as Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth look on in the White House Oval Office on Aug. 25, 2025.
U.S. President Donald Trump looks on during the signing of executive orders in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 25, 2025. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Overview

  • In Oval Office remarks, President Trump said Chicago "may or may not" see National Guard or military forces and that the government could deploy "on less than 24 hours’ notice."
  • He signed an executive order directing the Pentagon to create specialized National Guard units and maintain a nationwide quick-reaction force for public-order missions.
  • Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson rejected an uninvited deployment as unlawful, said there had been no outreach from Washington, and warned of court challenges citing limits on federal use of troops.
  • The Washington Post reported the Pentagon has been planning potential National Guard options for Chicago, possibly involving thousands of troops as soon as September, a report other outlets have not independently confirmed.
  • Chicago officials pointed to police data showing year-over-year declines in murders, shootings and car thefts to argue there is no emergency warranting military intervention.