Trump Walks Back Chicago 'War' Threat, Vows to 'Clean Up' Cities
In a reversal of his earlier stance, President Donald Trump on Sunday clarified that he does not intend to "go to war" with American cities, but instead plans to take action to reduce crime and violence in metropolitan areas.
Speaking to reporters as he left the White House, Trump stated, "We're not going to war. We're going to clean up our cities... We're going to clean them up so they don't kill five people every weekend. That's not war, that's common sense."
This clarification comes after a post on his website Truth Social on Saturday in which he appeared to threaten military action against Chicago, writing, "Chicago is about to find out why it's called the Department of WAR." The post was seen as an escalation of tensions between Trump and the city, which has been plagued by high levels of violence and crime.
The apparent plan to deploy National Guard troops to U.S. metropolitan areas to assist with law enforcement or deportations of suspected undocumented immigrants has sparked widespread criticism from civil rights groups and local officials.
"This is a thinly veiled attempt to intimidate and bully cities into compliance with the administration's agenda," said Maria Rodriguez, executive director of the Chicago-based advocacy group, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. "We will not stand idly by while our communities are threatened with militarization."
Background on the issue reveals that Trump has been critical of Chicago's handling of crime and violence in recent months, calling it a "disaster" and suggesting that the city is being overrun by gangs.
The deployment of National Guard troops to cities would be a significant escalation of federal involvement in local law enforcement. While some have argued that such action could help reduce crime and improve public safety, others have expressed concerns about the potential for civil liberties abuses and the militarization of police forces.
As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how Trump's plan will proceed and what impact it may have on cities across the United States.
*Reporting by Npr.*
