The CurrentIs Trump turning American cities into military zones?

A Democratic representative from Illinois says U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to deploy the National Guard in Chicago to crack down on crime is “a waste of time” and “a charade.”

Hundreds of troops have been patrolling Washington D.C., for about two weeks. The president said it was necessary because of rampant crime, despite data from local police pointing to a 30-year low of violence offences in 2024.

Trump has mulled sending troops to other Democratic-run cities, including Chicago and Maryland.

“Chicago is a disaster,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office earlier this week. “They need help, and we may wait. We may or may not. We may just go in and do it, which is probably what we should do.”

Jesús (Chuy) García, a Democratic representative from Chicago, says he’s having none of it. Here’s his conversation with The Current’s guest host Susan Bonner.

We’re glad to talk to you from a city that the president describes as a disaster. He says he can clean up crime in a week. What is your response to his plan? 

He is not welcome in Chicago. This isn’t about public safety. It’s not about law and order. It’s a show of force and mostly a stage show, again, underscoring his authoritarian intentions. This is meant to create fear, to silence and to control. Sending troops to occupy cities where they’re not wanted doesn’t enhance public safety, and we can’t accept this as the norm.

We’ve seen this in history, and that’s why Chicago is very opposed to the mobilization of the Guard. Chicago also has a long history of being a safe haven for immigrants, for women’s rights, for the LGBTQ community. Texas Democrats were here over the last month seeking refuge from the illegal and violative redistricting that’s occurring in the state of Texas. That’s why Trump has it in for Chicago.

Congressman, how bad is the crime problem in your city? The president refers to it as, quote, a “killing field.”

He doesn’t know what he is talking about. Chicago’s most serious crimes over the past two years have been reducing significantly. For example, the Chicago Police Department is reporting that homicides have decreased by 32 per cent, robberies have decreased by 36 per cent, and shootings have decreased by 36 per cent.

But those are from high numbers, are they not? The crime numbers may be coming down, but the starting point was quite high. Would you admit that?

We have had a serious violence problem in Chicago. Crime spiked during COVID and the pandemic without a doubt. We’ve had a significant challenge in terms of public safety, especially as it relates to young people and their involvement in gangs and other illicit activities.

We’re not whitewashing that. What we’re saying is that significant progress is being made.

The trend toward improving public safety is a very encouraging one. The mobilization of the Guard will not improve public safety. The National Guard is not trained for that. It’s a waste of time and it’s a charade. This is part of the Trump strategy.

WATCH | Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker says he may pursue legal action if Trump sends troops to Chicago 

Illinois governor slams Trump’s threat to deploy National Guard to Chicago

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to deploy National Guard troops to Chicago to address crime, but in a news conference Monday, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said there is no emergency warranting the deployment of the National Guard and warned he may pursue legal action if Trump proceeds.

The president clearly sees crime as an issue that he and the Republican Party have some traction on. And it’s been pointed out that some of the cities that he’s targeting, including Chicago, are led by Democrats; the state’s led by a Democrat.

How do you see this as a political issue, and how do you respond by assuring people that Democrats want to fight crime as well? 

Let’s be clear. Donald Trump is escalating his attack on Chicago because he needs a distraction. From what? From the Epstein files potentially incriminating Trump. The California redistricting response and the fact that Texas legislators took refuge in Illinois is another reason. The D.C. militarization is rejecting Trump’s mobilization. And of course, the mass mobilizations that have occurred all over the country are all signs of the rejection of his policies.

How far are you and officials in your city and state prepared to go to make sure that National Guards don’t show up?

Donald Trump is deeply unpopular. As our governor [JB Pritzker] has said, all options to prevent the mobilization of the Guard are on the table.

What kind of options are on the table?

Legal options, challenging the president’s attempt to mobilize the Guard in the court. But he also is aware that Chicago is deeply opposed, and Illinois is deeply opposed, to the manipulation of the Guard for political aims, which this is all about.

This is all about distracting. So we are looking at, I think, peaceful demonstrations that would be triggered by the mobilization of the Guard, as they were in California. Remember that the mobilization of the guard and the marines in California is what triggered even larger demonstrations.