US President Donald Trump has threatened to send his newly renamed “Department of War” to Chicago. The threat sparked protests in Chicago, Washington, DC, and other cities.
Trump posted a parody image on Truth Social, showing helicopters over Chicago with the caption:
“I love the smell of deportations in the morning.”
The post, called “Chipocalypse Now,” references the 1979 film Apocalypse Now. Trump has not given details but promised to increase federal enforcement in Chicago, similar to Los Angeles and Washington, DC.
City Leaders Condemn the Threat
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker called Trump a “wannabe dictator” and said,
“The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city. This is not normal.”
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also condemned the threat:
“He wants to occupy our city and break our Constitution. We must defend our democracy.”
Protests Erupt in Chicago and DC
In Chicago, over 1,000 protesters marched downtown. They held signs reading:
- “I.C.E. out of Illinois”
- “I.C.E. out of everywhere”
Many waved Palestinian flags. Speakers compared Trump’s ICE crackdown to Israel’s presence in Gaza.
Nazek Sankari, co-chair of the US Palestinian Community Network, said:
“We refuse to cower to Trump and his threats.”
Viviana Barajas, leader of Palenque LSNA, added:
“If he thinks these theatrics will stop our passion for protecting our people, he is sorely mistaken.”
In Washington, DC, protesters marched under the banner “END THE D.C. OCCUPATION”. They chanted:
- “Trump must go now”
- “Free DC”
- “Resist Tyranny”
Controversial Department Name Change
Trump also signed an order renaming the Department of Defense to the Department of War. He said the change “sends a message of victory.”
The threats and troop deployments have faced legal challenges and criticism. Many see them as an authoritarian show of force against Democratic-led cities.
