Democrats are denouncing President Donald Trump after he posted an AI-generated picture of himself styled as Robert Duvall’s character from the 1979 movie Apocalypse Now, paired with threats aimed toward Chicago.
The picture, labeled “Chipocalypse Now,” was accompanied by Trump’s caption: “I like the scent of deportations within the morning…”
The President added: “Chicago about to seek out out why it’s known as the Division of WAR,” referencing his latest government order renaming the Division of Protection because the Division of Conflict.
The remarks come amid stories that the administration is weighing using the Nationwide Guard in Chicago, a proposal Illinois leaders have strongly opposed.
Newsom: “Troops as political pawns”
California Governor Gavin Newsom accused Trump of abusing the navy for political achieve.
“The President of the US is deploying the navy onto US streets and utilizing our troops like political pawns,” Newsom wrote on X. “DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO BECOME NUMB TO THIS.”
Newsom and Trump beforehand clashed when federal troops had been deployed to Los Angeles throughout anti-ICE demonstrations.
Pritzker: “Illinois gained’t be intimidated”
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker stated Trump’s threats crossed a harmful line.
“The President of the US is threatening to go to struggle with an American metropolis,” Pritzker posted. “This isn’t a joke. This isn’t regular. Donald Trump isn’t a strongman, he’s a scared man. Illinois gained’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator.”
Chicago Mayor defends the town
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson highlighted latest declines in violent crime whereas pushing again towards Trump’s rhetoric.
“The President’s threats are beneath the honour of our nation, however the actuality is that he desires to occupy our metropolis and break our Structure,” Johnson wrote. “We should defend our democracy from this authoritarianism by defending one another and defending Chicago from Donald Trump.”
Illinois Senators push again
Illinois’ Democratic senators had been fast to sentence Trump’s feedback.
Senator Tammy Duckworth, a fight veteran and retired Military Nationwide Guard lieutenant colonel, posted: “No Donald, Chicago shouldn’t be your struggle zone.”
Senator Dick Durbin blasted Trump for misusing his platform.
“As a substitute of asking ChatGPT to make him memes and threatening to show our courageous armed forces towards American cities, Trump needs to be centered on his weak jobs stories, report measles circumstances, tariffs hurting American farmers and companies, and hidden Epstein information,” Durbin wrote on X.
