Trump and the Pentagon Plan to Deploy Forces in Chicago.. Democratic Officials Reject and Condemn

Media reports have revealed plans being prepared to deploy military forces in the American city of Chicago, amid conflicting statements between the federal administration and local authorities regarding the feasibility and legality of this step.

According to what the "Washington Post" reported on Saturday, citing informed officials, the U.S. Department of Defense (the Pentagon) "intends to plan for the deployment of military forces in Chicago," as part of President Donald Trump's efforts to combat crime, homelessness, and illegal immigration. The newspaper added that "the Pentagon's plan, which has been in the works for weeks, includes several options, including mobilizing at least a few thousand National Guard members starting in September."

This came after statements from President Trump, a Republican, to reporters on Friday in which he said: "Chicago is in chaos.. and we will likely correct this situation soon." Trump also sharply criticized the city's mayor, continuing his attack on cities run by Democratic politicians.

For its part, the Pentagon refrained from commenting on these reports, stating in a statement issued late Saturday: "We will not engage in speculation about other operations; the department is a planning entity and continuously works with partners from other agencies on plans to protect federal assets and individuals."

The Democratic side expressed strong opposition to the move. J.B. Pritzker, the governor of Illinois, which includes the city of Chicago, stated in a statement that "the state has not received any communication from the federal government regarding whether it needs assistance." He emphasized that "there is no emergency that warrants the deployment of the National Guard or other military forces."

The governor continued his criticism of Trump, saying: "Donald Trump is trying to fabricate a crisis and politicize the Americans who serve in military uniforms and continues to abuse his power to divert attention from the suffering he causes to working families."

The spokesperson for the city's mayor, Brandon Johnson, also expressed concerns on Friday "about any illegal deployment of National Guard forces." He argued that "the problem with Trump's approach is that it is uncoordinated, unjustified, and unsound," noting that "homicides in Chicago dropped by more than 30 percent last year, thefts by 35 percent, and shooting incidents by nearly 40 percent."

It is worth mentioning that Trump had requested last week that Republican state governors send hundreds of National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., to which they responded. Trump portrays the U.S. capital as "a city drowning in crime, despite Justice Department data showing that violent crime rates reached their lowest level in 30 years in Washington last year."