Pentagon plans military deployment in Chicago as Trump steps up crime fight

The Pentagon is drawing up plans for a possible troop deployment in Chicago as part of President Donald Trump's strategy to step up the fight against crime, homelessness, and illegal immigration in major U.S. cities.

According to officials consulted by The Washington Post, the first media outlet to cover the story, the initiative contemplates mobilizing several thousand National Guard members as early as September, with the possibility of also including active-duty troops during the operation, although the latter option is less likely.

If it materializes, the operation would follow the model in June in Los Angeles, when some 4,000 California National Guardsmen and 700 Marines were sent despite criticism and opposition from local authorities. Likewise, if carried out, the deployment would occur after the dispatch of more than 2,200 National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., on President Trump's orders.

This last operation was defended by Trump as a necessary measure to restore order in the capital, and now he seeks to do the same in Chicago.

The president has repeatedly singled out the city as a symbol of what he describes as "Democratic misrule." On Friday, he accused Mayor Brandon Johnson of being "incompetent" and previewed that Chicago could be the next target of his federal intervention plan.

“Chicago’s a mess. You have an incompetent mayor. Grossly incompetent,” Trump said, in comments that local leaders immediately dismissed as unfounded. “And we’ll straighten that one out probably next. That’ll be our next one after this. And it won’t even be tough.”

Democrats have sharply questioned the president's assertions, charging that he is overstepping his authority.

“After using Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. as his testing ground for authoritarian overreach, Trump is now openly flirting with the idea of taking over other states and cities,” said Illinois Governor, JB Pritzker. “Trump’s goal is to incite fear in our communities and destabilize existing public safety efforts—all to create a justification to further abuse his power.”

Likewise, Mayor Johnson said in a statement that Trump's words demonstrate the lack of coordination between the federal government and local authorities.

“We have grave concerns about the impact of any unlawful deployment of National Guard troops to the City of Chicago. The problem with the president’s approach is that it is uncoordinated, uncalled for, and unsound," he said.

In addition to a potential troop deployment, the White House is planning actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to intensify raids against undocumented migrants and challenge "sanctuary city" policies by Democrats.

The potential move comes against a backdrop of persistent insecurity. Chicago, with 2.7 million inhabitants, recorded 573 homicides in 2024, the highest figure in the country, although its rate was surpassed by cities such as St. Louis, Detroit, and Baltimore. While local authorities acknowledge the challenge, they reject that the solution is to militarize the streets, contrary to the Trump Administration's approach.

Despite the criticism against Trump, the law allows the president to federalize the National Guard under Title 10 in case of "rebellion" and even invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy troops on active duty; however, such a move would prove highly controversial and could open a legal front.