Senator Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat from Illinois, expressed strong concerns about President Trump's recent comments regarding Chicago. On "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Duckworth stated that Trump has "essentially just declared war on a major city in his own nation." This remark follows Trump's indications that he may send the National Guard to Chicago amid ongoing discussions about crime and immigration enforcement.

Despite Trump's rhetoric, Duckworth noted that there are currently no signs that troops are being prepared for deployment to Chicago. She visited the Great Lakes Naval Base and reported, "We don't have any indications" that the administration is planning to send forces to the city. Duckworth emphasized that Trump's statements are not typical and described them as "not acceptable behavior."

In a recent post on Truth Social, Trump shared a message that read, "Chicago about to find out why it's called the Department of WAR," accompanied by an AI-generated image reminiscent of the film "Apocalypse Now." Additionally, Trump signed an executive order to rename the Department of Defense to the Department of War, although such a change would require congressional approval.

The president's comments come as part of a broader strategy to address illegal immigration and crime, following his deployment of the National Guard to Los Angeles in June. However, California Governor Gavin Newsom has challenged the legality of that deployment, and a judge recently ruled it violated federal law, though the ruling was specific to California.

Vice President JD Vance stated that the administration has "no immediate plans" to send National Guard forces to Chicago, despite Trump's insistence that "we're going in." Duckworth responded to Trump's threats seriously, saying, "If that's what he's declaring, then let me make it clear: it would be an illegal order to declare war on a major city, any city within the United States, by the President of the United States."

During her visit to the Naval Station Great Lakes, Duckworth learned that military leadership confirmed the only assistance requested from them was for office space for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). She stated, "No barracks, no detention facilities, none of that is being requested or prepared in order to support troops into Chicago."

Duckworth also mentioned that local leaders have not received any communication from the administration regarding crime-fighting efforts. She said, "If they were truly, truly interested in fighting crime, then they would work with local law enforcement and ask them, 'What do you need? What help do you need?'"

The situation has drawn pushback from local leaders who are concerned about federal intervention in Chicago's crime issues, which could lead to legal challenges. A recent poll indicated that 58% of Americans oppose deploying National Guard troops to cities beyond Washington, D.C., while 85% of Trump's Republican base supports such actions.