Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) lambasted President Trump on Saturday for joking aboutimmigration enforcement efforts, includingplans to target Chicago, calling the president a "wannabe dictator." "The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city," Pritzker wrote onsocial platform Xin response to a meme shared by Trump. "This is not a joke. This is not normal." "Donald Trump isn't a strongman, he's a scared man," he added. "Illinois won't be intimidated by a wannabe dictator." Trump earlier Saturday posted an image generated by artificial intelligence (AI)to his Truth Social platformthat showed his likeness as a law enforcement official. The background includes an image of Chicago burning, several helicopters and text that reads "Chipocalypse Now" — a nod to the 1979 movie "Apocalypse Now." In the caption, the president wrote, "I love the smell of deportations in the morning… Chicago about to find out why it's called the Department of WAR." The comment comes just a day after hesigned an executive orderto rebrand the Defense Department to theDepartment of War. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) railed against the post in a Saturday social media post, stating it is "beneath the honor of our nation." "But the reality is that he wants to occupy our city and break our Constitution," Johnsonwroteon X. "We must defend our democracy from this authoritarianism by protecting each other and protecting Chicago from Donald Trump." Trump late last month signaled his administrationwould look to the Windy Citynext in its efforts to tackle crime and illegal immigration. The White Housealready confirmedthat is looking to use a Navy base near Chicago to support itsmigrant detention efforts. The president has alsothreatened to deployNational Guard troops to the city, pointing towhat he called successin hisfederal takeoverof Washington, D.C., to aid in theexpected crackdown. While his moves in the nation's capital are protected under the federal district'sHome Rule Act,Illinois is a sovereign state. Any effort to deploy troops to Chicago without the governor requesting assistance would likely result in alegal battle, like the onethat played outinLos Angelesover deportation raids. Local officials in The Prairie State havepushed backon the administration's threat, suggesting Trump is overstepping his authority. Johnsonsigned a protective orderlate last month to combat the potential deployment of soldiers. The city's Office of Immigrant, Migrant and Refugee Rights also rolled outan updated websiteearlier this week withstep-by-step guidanceon how immigrants can protect themselves. Pritzker hasblasted Trumpfor suggesting that major cities should be asking the federal government forassistance with law enforcement, citing dwindling crime statistics and calling the request "an insult." The president has also floatedNew OrleansandBaltimoreas potential targets. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
