During a press conference in the Oval Office, President Trump confirmed plans to deploy the National Guard to Chicago. He did not specify when the action would occur but criticized Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker for rejecting federal assistance to address the city’s violent crime surge. Trump asserted, “We’re going to do it anyway. We have the right to do it because I have an obligation to protect this country.”

The decision follows a violent Labor Day weekend in Chicago, where at least 58 people were shot and eight killed, including a drive-by attack injuring seven. Trump reiterated his stance on Truth Social, stating, “Chicago is the worst and most dangerous city in the World, by far. Pritzker needs help badly, he just doesn’t know it yet.” He pledged to replicate his approach in Washington, D.C., promising to “solve the crime problem fast” and restore safety to the city. Trump also hinted at expanding federal intervention to other urban centers, vowing to “make America great again.”