Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) issued a firm rebuke Sunday to President Donald Trump’s pledge to deploy the National Guard to Chicago, calling the potential move “unconstitutional” and promising legal resistance. Johnson’s statement came after Trump announced Friday that Chicago would likely be the next city targeted in his national push to combat crime, illegal immigration, and homelessness.
“The City of Chicago will not waver. We are Chicago. We will not bend or cower, and we will never break,” Johnson said. He added that he is in ongoing talks with Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, all of whom oppose any federal military presence in the city.
Reports from The Washington Post revealed that Pentagon planners have been preparing for a potential deployment of several thousand National Guard troops to Chicago, possibly as early as September. The action would follow earlier military operations in cities like Los Angeles under similar crime-reduction objectives.
Johnson framed Trump’s plans as federal overreach. “Chicago is not calling for a military occupation of our city,” he said. “We are currently evaluating all of our legal options to protect the people of Chicago.”
President Trump’s latest crime initiative aligns with his broader campaign promise to restore law and order in Democrat-led urban centers. “I think Chicago will be next,” Trump told reporters Friday. “And then we’ll help with New York.”
Johnson, however, pointed to improved crime statistics as proof that the city is already making progress. “In Chicago, we have effectively reduced all forms of violent crime by doing what works,” he said, citing a 30% drop in homicides, 35% drop in robberies, and nearly 40% drop in shootings over the past year.
