The US President posted an image of himself as Lt. Colonel Kilgore, Robert Duvall’s character in Apocalypse Now, saying: “Chicago about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR”
Donald Trump made a wild threat to Chicago with an AI generated photo of him carpet bombing the city.
The US President posted an image of himself as Lt. Colonel Kilgore, Robert Duvall’s character in the film Apocalypse Now, saying: “Chicago about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR”
The Truth Social post also reads: “I love the smell of deportations in the morning” – and the image bears the title “Chipocalypse Now”.
It’s a significant escalation for Trump, who has hinted for several weeks that he intends to send troops into Democrat-run Chicago.
According to the Associated Press, the threats have put many Latino residents on edge, prompting some to carry their U.S. passports while giving others pause about openly celebrating the upcoming Mexican Independence Day.
Though the holiday falls on Sept. 16, celebrations in Chicago span more than a week and draw hundreds of thousands of participants. Festivities will kick off with a Saturday parade through the heavily Mexican Pilsen neighborhood and continue with car caravans and lively street parties.
The Illinois city would be the third democrat-run city where Trump has deployed troops – after Los Angeles and Washington DC.
National Guard troops were deployed in DC on a pretext of tackling crime – which was already declining in the capital, and in LA to quell protests which were largely peaceful.
In reality, the targeting of Democrat-controlled cities is being seen as a power play, and a way of intimidating migrants both legal and undocumented.
The Trump administration has informed Chicago-area officials that its promised immigration enforcement surge will run for about six weeks, according to the mayor of a suburb that houses an immigration processing centre.
Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson said in a letter to the village’s roughly 8,000 residents this week that the Trump administration told village officials that a two-story building used to temporarily hold immigrants before they’re detained or deported will serve as the “primary processing location” for the expected operation.
She said local leaders were told the operation will last approximately 45 days, but she didn’t say when it might start.
Officials in the village just west of Chicago declined to elaborate Thursday, saying they were focused on the safety of residents, police and businesses.
“We will defend the constitutionally protected right to peaceful protest and will accept no interference with that right,” said LeTisa Jones, the village administrator. “Simultaneously, we will reject any illegal behavior that puts Broadview police officers’ safety or the safety of local businesses and residents at risk.”