Illinois Governor JB Pritzker tore into President Trump last night over remarks he made about immigration enforcement, particularly references to targeting Chicago, denouncing him as a “wannabe dictator.”
“The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city,” Pritzker posted on X, reacting to a meme Trump shared online. “This is not a joke. This is not normal.”
“Donald Trump isn’t a strongman, he’s a scared man,” the governor continued. “Illinois won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator.”
Trump had earlier uploaded to Truth Social an AI-generated picture showing him dressed as a law enforcement officer with the caption, “I love the smell of deportations in the morning… Chicago about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR.” The image featured helicopters, flames consuming Chicago, and the phrase “Chipocalypse Now,” a reference to the 1979 film Apocalypse Now.
The post came just one day after Trump signed an executive order that changed the Defense Department’s name to the Department of War.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) also blasted the message in a statement on X, calling it “beneath the honor of our nation.”
“But the reality is that he wants to occupy our city and break our Constitution,” Johnson added. “We must defend our democracy from this authoritarianism by protecting each other and protecting Chicago from Donald Trump.”
Trump had previously indicated that Chicago could be the next focus of his administration’s crackdown on crime and illegal immigration. Reports have confirmed the White House is considering using a Navy installation near the city as part of its migrant detention plans.
He has also suggested that National Guard forces might be deployed to Chicago, citing what he described as success with federal intervention in Washington, D.C. Unlike the capital, however, Illinois is a state, meaning Trump would face significant legal hurdles if he attempted such a move without the governor’s consent. A similar dispute erupted in Los Angeles in the past over federal deportation raids.
Leaders across Illinois have voiced opposition to the idea, arguing the president is trying to exceed his powers. In response, Mayor Johnson signed an order last month intended to counter any potential military deployment.
Chicago’s Office of Immigrant, Migrant and Refugee Rights this week also introduced an updated online guide to help immigrants understand how to protect themselves if targeted.
Pritzker has repeatedly slammed Trump’s suggestion that cities should rely on federal law enforcement aid, pointing to a decline in crime figures and labeling the proposal “an insult.”
Trump has also mentioned New Orleans and Baltimore as cities his administration could target next.
{Matzav.com}
And it’s very normal to tolerate all the shootings? Thanks for your worthless opinion
Get yourself a real job that holds you accountable for doing a miserable job
Sure. That’s the Chicago way. In my neighborhood chat we have frequent postings of home security videos showing ongoing crime – usually property damage and theft. The mayor embraces criminal activity.