Chicago ‘will be next, and then’ New York: Trump threatens troop expansion in Democrat-led cities

“After we do this, we’ll go to another location, and we’ll make it safe also. We’re going to make our country very safe. We’re going to make our cities very, very safe,” Trump said, before turning his attention to Chicago in particular: “Chicago’s a mess. You have an incompetent mayor. Grossly incompetent. And we’ll straighten that one out probably next. That’ll be our next one after this. And it won’t even be tough.”

“I think Chicago will be our next, and then we’ll help with New York,” Trump added, arguing that residents are demanding federal intervention. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson condemned Trump’s suggestion that he might next send troops to his city, calling the proposal “offensive” and “unlawful.” Johnson said Trump’s plan was “uncoordinated, uncalled for, and unsound,” and pointed to local data showing homicides down by more than 30 per cent, robberies by 35 per cent, and shootings by nearly 40 per cent in the past year. “Here’s the bottom line: we know exactly what it takes to reduce violence in our cities, because we’re actually doing it,” he told local media.

Trump also claimed that he had strong support from Black voters in the city, without giving any evidence. He had sent National Guard troops and federal agents to Washington last week, saying the federal government could run it “like it’s supposed to be run.”

Both Chicago and New York have reported drops in violent crime, contrary to Trump’s claims. Critics say the Republican president is using the crackdown to expand federal power over Democratic-led cities, raising constitutional questions under the Tenth Amendment, which limits federal intervention in state and local governance.

The federal government already wields significant power in Washington, but under the Home Rule Act of 1973 the city elects its own mayor and council, while Congress retains the right to review local laws. It is unclear how Trump could unilaterally override the Act without Congress. Still, the capital’s unique status has allowed him to deploy the National Guard more freely than in other parts of the country.

Trump’s use of troops has also sparked legal battles. Earlier this month, California officials brought a case against the administration over its deployment of the National Guard during protests in Los Angeles last year, calling it unconstitutional. State Attorney General Rob Bonta argued the move violated the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, which restricts the military’s role in domestic policing. “This dangerous move has no precedent in American history,” Bonta said.