Trump Issues Military Threat Against Chicago Amid Federal Immigration Operation

President Donald Trump has intensified his rhetoric against the city of Chicago by posting an AI-generated image on Truth Social depicting himself as a military commander amid a looming federal immigration enforcement operation. The image, titled “Chipocalypse Now,” parodies the Vietnam War film Apocalypse Now and includes a threatening message that Chicago will soon understand why the Department of Defense was rebranded as the Department of War. This comes as approximately 300 federal immigration agents are set to operate out of Naval Station Great Lakes for a month-long crackdown, prompting criticism from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, and other Democratic leaders who condemn Trump's threats as authoritarian and a threat to democracy. Trump responded to reporters denying plans to go to war with Chicago, insisting the intent is to “clean up” crime, not wage war. The situation echoes previous federal interventions in cities like Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., where Trump deployed military and federal agents to enforce immigration and crime policies, fueling tensions with local officials and civil rights advocates. The controversy highlights the deep polarization over immigration enforcement and the use of military-style operations in U.S. cities.