Trump has no basis to deploy troops to Chicago

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Al Jazeera or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Top Democratic leaders, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, rejected reports that President Trump is preparing to deploy National Guard troops to Chicago
• Jeffries told CNN there is “no basis, no authority” for Trump to insert federal forces into the city.
• Pritzker accused Trump of “manufacturing a crisis” to politicise the military and distract from domestic troubles
• The Washington Post reported that Pentagon planning for a potential Chicago deployment has been underway for weeks

🔭 The context: The U.S. Constitution grants policing powers to states, limiting Trump’s authority to deploy federal troops in cities like Chicago or Baltimore
• While Trump has wide latitude in Washington, DC — not a state — extending militarisation to state-run cities would almost certainly trigger legal challenges
• Trump has framed Democratic-led cities as crime-ridden, despite data showing that murders and gun violence are down in both Chicago and Baltimore this year

🌍 Why it matters for our planet: Critics warn the crackdown in Washington, DC, may be a test case for broader militarisation of American cities — raising fears of federal overreach and erosion of democratic norms
• Section 12406 of U.S. Code allows Guard deployments only in cases of invasion, rebellion, or law enforcement breakdown — criteria many legal experts say do not apply here

⏭️ What’s next: Trump has threatened to send troops to Baltimore as well, citing crime rates, though official statistics show homicides are at a 50-year low
• Any move to deploy Guard troops from Republican-led states into Democratic cities would face fierce legal opposition and could deepen political polarization heading into the 2026 elections.

💬 One quote: “Donald Trump is attempting to manufacture a crisis, politicise Americans who serve in uniform, and continue abusing his power,” — Illinois Governor JB Pritzker

📈 One stat: Baltimore has recorded 84 homicides so far in 2025 — the fewest in more than 50 years, according to the city’s mayor

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