Senator Duckworth Blasts Trump’s ‘War’ Rhetoric on Chicago Amid Deployment Speculation

Senator Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat, on Sunday sharply criticized President Trump’s recent remarks regarding Chicago, stating he had “essentially just declared war on a major city in his own nation.” Despite the strong rhetoric, Duckworth noted there are no current indications that the administration is preparing to send troops into the nation’s third-largest city.

Addressing the issue on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” Duckworth labeled Mr. Trump’s statements as “not normal” and “not acceptable behavior.” Her comments followed a Truth Social post by Mr. Trump on Saturday, which featured an AI-generated image reminiscent of “Apocalypse Now” alongside text suggesting Chicago would soon understand why the Department of Defense might be renamed the Department of War. On Friday, Mr. Trump signed an executive order to rename the Department of Defense, a change that would require congressional approval.

However, Mr. Trump himself told reporters Sunday that “we’re not going to war,” clarifying, “We’re going to clean up our cities. We’re going to clean them up so they don’t kill five people every weekend. That’s not war, that’s common sense.” Vice President JD Vance also indicated in recent days that there are “no immediate plans” for National Guard forces in Chicago, despite Mr. Trump’s earlier suggestions of federal intervention.

Duckworth, however, emphasized the gravity of the president’s words, asserting that any order to “declare war on a major city… would be an illegal order.” She also highlighted a lack of coordination, stating the administration has not reached out to local law enforcement to discuss crime-fighting needs. Following a visit to Naval Station Great Lakes on Saturday, Duckworth confirmed that military leadership had only been requested to provide office space for ICE, with “no barracks, no detention facilities” being prepared for troop support in Chicago.

The current developments unfold against a backdrop of previous federal deployments, including the National Guard in Washington, D.C. last month and Los Angeles in June. A judge recently ruled the California deployment violated federal law. Local leaders in Chicago have consistently pushed back against federal intervention threats, which could lead to legal challenges. A CBS News poll released Sunday revealed that 58% of Americans oppose deploying National Guard troops to cities beyond Washington, D.C., though 85% of Mr. Trump’s Republican base supports such deployments.

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