Trump has no basis to deploy troops to Chicago, Democratic leader Jeffries says [View all]

Source: Reuters

August 24, 2025 11:43 AM EDT Updated 4 hours ago


Aug 24 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump does not have the authority to deploy troops to Chicago, Democratic House of Representatives Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries said on Sunday as the Pentagon carried out initial planning for a possible deployment. Trump, a Republican, has said he would probably expand his crime crackdown to Chicago, intervening in another city governed by Democrats. And on Sunday he suggested the possibility of deploying troops to Democratic-run Baltimore in Maryland.

U.S. officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said there had been initial planning at the Pentagon about what a deployment of National Guard troops to Chicago would look like. One official said the plans were part of the military's efforts to anticipate any requests by Trump and noted senior Pentagon officials have not yet been briefed on them. It is not uncommon for the Pentagon to plan for potential deployments before formal orders are given.

Jeffries said any move to deploy troops to Chicago was an attempt by Trump to manufacture a crisis. Crime, including murders, has declined in Chicago in the last year. "There's no basis, no authority for Donald Trump to potentially try to drop federal troops into the city of Chicago," Jeffries told CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday.

Jeffries cited comments made by JB Pritzker, the Democratic governor of Illinois, which includes Chicago, who said there was no emergency warranting the deployment of the National Guard or other military.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-has-no-basis-deploy-troops-chicago-democratic-leader-jeffries-says-2025-08-24/