President Donald Trump escalated a Trump Chicago threat by posting a meme Saturday hinting he would deploy federal troops to the city, drawing swift condemnation from Illinois officials as authoritarian.
Trump Posts ‘Apocalypse Now’ Style Meme
The meme depicted Trump as a character from the 1979 film “Apocalypse Now,” with helicopters flying over a fiery Chicago skyline. Posted on a Saturday, the image styled the president as Lt.
Col. Bill Kilgore and included the text “Chipocalypse Now.“
The post included a quote stating, “I love the smell of deportations in the morning…” It also declared, “Chicago is about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR.“
Illinois Officials Condemn Trump Chicago Threat
Gov. JB Pritzker responded to the post, stating, “The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city.
This is not a joke.” Pritzker added, “Illinois won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator.”
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also condemned the post. “The President’s threats are beneath the honor of our nation, but the reality is that he wants to occupy our city and break our Constitution,” Johnson said.
Sen. Dick Durbin called the post “disgusting.” He added that to suggest “the Department of War is going to be engaged is an embarrassment.“
Federal Intervention and Crime Statistics
Trump has repeatedly floated the idea that he might deploy federal troops to Chicago to address crime and immigration enforcement. The post was aimed at provoking Pritzker and Johnson, who oppose these threats.
While National Guard units sent without state approval are generally restricted to defending federal property, Guard units have conducted armed patrols in Washington, D.C. The federal government has previously taken control of the local police in the capital.
In 2024, Chicago recorded 573 homicides, making it the 13th consecutive year the city led the nation in total murders. While carjackings dropped 32% year-over-year, they were still 25% higher than in 2019.
‘Department of War’ Executive Order
The threat referenced a Department of War executive order Trump signed the day before the post. The order officially changed the name of the Defense Department.
The move signals a potential new approach to federal law enforcement in American cities.
