Trump Threatens Federal Takeover of Chicago: ‘Grossly Incompetent’

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Trump has previously criticized Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who stated to Democracy Now! that the city would not “cower or bend” or be intimidated by attempts to divide and conquer communities.

On August 11, Trump deployed 800 National Guard troops in Washington D.C., declaring a public safety emergency. Several Republican states sent guardsmen to support the administration’s efforts, with troops stationed at tourist-heavy locations such as the National Mall and transit hubs like Union Station and Metro stops.

“The people in Chicago are screaming for us to come,” Trump said. “African American ladies, beautiful ladies are saying, please, President Trump, come to Chicago, please.”

After Washington D.C., Trump plans to offer “help” to New York. Since the deployment of troops, carjackings have decreased by 83%, robberies by 46%, car thefts by 21%, and overall violent crime by 22% compared to the previous seven days.

In a unique start to his ruling against President Donald Trump’s administration on September 30, U.S. District Court Judge William Young included a scanned handwritten note sent to his office. The note read: “Trump has pardons and tanks – what do you have?” At the top of Young’s opinion in AAUP v. Rubio, which ruled that Trump’s effort to deport foreign-born student protesters was unconstitutional.

October 8, 2025

Violent crime in Washington D.C. dropped 26% through August 8, 2025, compared to the same period in 2024. However, the city had the fourth-highest homicide rate among U.S. cities with 27.3 per 100,000 residents in 2024.

During a visit to D.C., Trump declared the city “safe” after meeting with law enforcement officials.