Speaking aboard the USS George Washington at Japan’s Yokosuka Naval Base, President Donald J. Trump said he is prepared to deploy forces beyond the National Guard to address crime in cities such as Chicago and Portland, escalating an ongoing clash with state and local leaders over federal intervention.
President Donald J. Trump told U.S. troops he is ready to deploy “more than the National Guard” to American cities if needed, remarks delivered Tuesday aboard the USS George Washington at Yokosuka Naval Base near Tokyo. “We have cities that are troubled … and we’re sending in our National Guard — and if we need more than the National Guard, we’ll send more than the National Guard, because we’re going to have safe cities,” he said to applause. (reuters.com)
Trump’s comments came amid renewed attention on Chicago. Over the Labor Day weekend, police said 58 people were shot and eight were killed — figures later updated from initial reports — even as broader crime measures have fallen this year. (news.wttw.com)
Chicago has recorded the nation’s highest number of homicides among major U.S. cities for 13 consecutive years. Preliminary police data show the city tallied 573 homicides in 2024. Analysts note that while Chicago leads in total homicides, its homicide rate is lower than several smaller cities. (news.wttw.com)
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has opposed federal deployments, calling them unnecessary and an abuse of power. “There is no emergency,” he said in August, accusing Trump of trying to “manufacture a crisis.” The White House, in a sharply worded Sept. 2 press release, criticized Pritzker and said he was blinded by “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” (nbcchicago.com)
Trump has maintained he will act regardless. “We’re going in. I didn’t say when we’re going in. This isn’t political — I have an obligation,” he said earlier this fall when pressed on timing. (transcripts.cnn.com)
On Oct. 4, the White House issued a presidential memorandum citing 10 U.S.C. § 12406 and calling at least 300 members of the Illinois National Guard into federal service for up to 60 days to protect federal personnel and property, including ICE and Federal Protective Service facilities. A Pentagon memo echoed the order. The administration has also authorized the use of “Department of War” as a secondary title for the Pentagon under a September executive order; Pete Hegseth is the Senate-confirmed Secretary of Defense. (whitehouse.gov)
Pritzker denounced the action as “Trump’s Invasion,” saying it would deploy federalized Illinois Guard members “against our wishes,” and warned that the administration planned to send in out‑of‑state troops as well. He and the state have since pursued legal challenges. (nbcchicago.com)
Federal immigration enforcement has intensified in the region. DHS launched “Operation Midway Blitz” on Sept. 8 targeting immigrants with criminal convictions, saying by Oct. 1 that more than 800 people had been arrested; an AP tally for the first two weeks of the operation reported nearly 550 arrests, illustrating the scale and pace of the sweep. (dhs.gov)
The administration has sought similar steps in Portland, Oregon. A federal judge temporarily blocked the plan to federalize 200 Oregon National Guard troops, and later barred the deployment of federalized Guard members from other states after the Pentagon moved to send roughly 200 California Guard troops instead. An appeals court subsequently said the president could take command of the Oregon Guard, while leaving a separate order in place that continues to block deployment for now. Trump, criticizing the rulings, said the judge “ought to be ashamed of himself.” (apnews.com)
Trump has also argued that local leaders are under pressure. “I believe the politicians are under threat … And I think Pritzker — he’s afraid for his life,” he told reporters this month. (nbcchicago.com)
Despite legal pushback and declining violent crime in Chicago this year, Trump has repeated his core message: “We’re gonna have safe cities. Whether people like that or not.” (reuters.com)