The Pentagon has reportedly been quietly planning a military deployment to Chicago for weeks as President Donald Trump escalates his push to crack down on crime, homelessness, and illegal immigration.
Preparations that could lead to the mobilization of several thousand National Guard troops as early as September, sources told The Washington Post.
The effort, not previously disclosed, reflects how Trump is expanding a controversial domestic security model first tested in Los Angeles in June, when thousands of Guard members and hundreds of active-duty Marines were deployed despite objections from state and local leaders. Officials told the Post that while the use of active-duty troops in Chicago has been discussed, the option is less likely at this stage.
The planning underscores how the administration is mapping out broader federal interventions in Democrat-led cities.
"Chicago's a mess," Trump said Friday, calling the city's mayor "grossly incompetent" and signaling that it would be his next target following ongoing National Guard operations in Washington, D.C.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson sharply rejected Trump's comments, warning that any unilateral deployment would be unlawful and destabilizing.
"Trump's goal is to incite fear in our communities and destabilize existing public safety efforts," Pritzker said.
Johnson added that Chicago officials had received no formal communication about military involvement but voiced "grave concerns" about its impact.
The White House declined to answer questions about the planning.
The Pentagon, in a statement, said only that it is "a planning organization" that works with other agencies to "protect federal assets and personnel."
The proposed Chicago mission comes as the administration steps up pressure on "sanctuary" jurisdictions and directs Immigration and Customs Enforcement to increase arrests.
Trump allies have described the deployments as restoring law and order, while critics see them as unconstitutional overreach.