President Donald Trump faced sharp criticism from Democratic leaders over a Truth Social post joking about deportations and hinting at military intervention in Chicago, sparking concerns over authoritarian overreach.
Trump's ‘Chipocalypse Now’ Meme Sparks Outrage Among Democrats
On Saturday, Trump shared a meme with the words, "Chipocalypse Now," alongside a photo of himself in a cavalry hat and the caption: "I love the smell of deportations in the morning… Chicago is about to find out why we call it the Department of War."
Democratic Leaders Warn Against Federal Overreach And Militarized Rhetoric
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) criticized the post, writing on X, "The President of the United States is deploying the military onto US streets and using our troops like political pawns. DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO BECOME NUMB TO THIS."
Newsom previously clashed with Trump when the White House deployed the National Guard in Los Angeles without state approval.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), a retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel, called the meme "stolen valor at its worst" and rejected any suggestion that Chicago could become a federal war zone.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson added, "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. We must defend our democracy from this authoritarianism by protecting each other and protecting Chicago from Donald Trump."
Gov. JB Pritzker (D-Ill.) also weighed in, labeling Trump a "wannabe dictator" and warning, "The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city. This is not a joke. This is not normal."
See Also: Democrats Slam Trump’s DOJ Release Of Epstein Files, Say 97% Of Them Contain No New Information
Trump Floats National Guard Deployment In New Orleans Amid Crime Debate
This week, Trump suggested deploying National Guard troops to New Orleans, citing a "crime problem" and following similar plans for Chicago and Baltimore.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry supported the idea, while New Orleans officials, including City Council President JP Morrell, rejected it, noting crime had actually declined. Newsom compared crime rates across states, and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) dismissed Newsom's remarks as a publicity stunt.
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