President Donald Trump’s Reality Social publish saying Chicago was about to seek out out “why it’s referred to as the Division of Struggle” drew swift rebuke from Illinois leaders Saturday morning.
“‘I really like the odor of deportations within the morning,’” he posted on Truth Social, a reference to the 1979 conflict film “Apocalypse Now” the place Robert Duvall’s character Lt. Colonel Kilgore says, “I love the smell of napalm in the morning.”
“Chicago about to seek out out why it’s referred to as the Division of Struggle,” the publish continued, which included a picture of him wearing an Military uniform and helicopters flying within the background with the phrases “Chipocalypse Now,” a reference to the movie.
Trump signed an government order Friday authorizing the Division of Struggle as a secondary title for the Division of Protection in a transfer that he mentioned sends “a message of energy.”
The White Home shared the publish on its X account.
Gov. JB Pritzker responded to Trump’s publish Saturday on X, saying it “will not be regular.”
“The President of the USA is threatening to go to conflict with an American metropolis,” Pritzker mentioned within the publish.
“This isn’t a joke. This isn’t regular.”
Talking from the twenty fourth annual Mexican Independence Day Parade in Pilsen Saturday, Sen. Dick Durbin referred to as the publish “disgusting.” “To counsel that the troops are coming into Chicago is a humiliation,” he mentioned.
In a post on X, Mayor Brandon Johnson referred to as on Chicagoans to guard one another amid the threats.
“The President’s threats are beneath the distinction of our nation, however the actuality is that he needs to occupy our metropolis and break our Structure,” Johnson mentioned within the publish. “We should defend our democracy from this authoritarianism by defending one another and defending Chicago from Donald Trump.”
The publish comes as Trump ramps up federal enforcement in Chicago and town is preparing for anticipated increased operations by ICE. On Wednesday, Pritzker mentioned he expects ICE brokers to “start actions on Saturday or over the weekend.”
Contributing: Dorothy Hernandez, Selena Kuznikov, AP
