‘Wannabe dictator’: Illinois governor calls out Trump as US president threatens Chicago with apocalyptic force

The president didn’t provide any further details regarding the administration’s plan to send troops to Chicago, however, the post appeared to refer to an executive order that Trump signed on Friday to rebrand Depart of Defense as Department of War and the defence secretary as the secretary of war.

The post by Trump triggered a response by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who called the US president a “wannabe dictator.” “The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city. This is not a joke,” Pritzker said on Saturday in a post on X.

The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city.

This is not a joke. This is not normal.

Donald Trump isn’t a strongman, he’s a scared man. Illinois won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator. pic.twitter.com/f87Zek7Cqb

— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) September 6, 2025

The Democratic leader further added, “This is not normal. Donald Trump isn’t a strongman, he’s a scared man. Illinois won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator.” Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, while speaking to reporters during Mexican independence day celebrations in Chicago called Trump’s post “disgusting”.

“His tweet this morning was disgusting. To suggest that the troops are coming into Chicago or the Department of War is going to be engaged, it is embarrassing,” the senator said, reported NBC News.

Trump’s post threatening Chicago with National Guards deployment and immigration raids adds the city to a list of Democratic-led cities that have been targeted by the Trump administration for expanded federal enforcement.

The federal government seems prepared to step up immigration enforcement and military deployment in Chicago, like it did in Los Angeles, Washington DC among others.

(with inputs from NBC News, AP)