President Donald Trump has announced plans to deploy the National Guard to Chicago following a surge of violence over the Labor Day weekend.
“We’re going in,” Trump said during a September 2 Oval Office briefing, though he did not provide a specific timeline. The president emphasized his responsibility in the matter, telling reporters, “I have an obligation. This isn’t about politics.”
Trump’s remarks follow a series of criticisms he has directed at Democratic governors Gavin Newsom of California, Wes Moore of Maryland, and Illinois’ JB Pritzker—figures who have openly opposed him and are seen as potential contenders for the 2028 presidential race.
This move is not unprecedented. Trump has previously sent the National Guard into action during protests in Los Angeles and, more recently, in Washington, D.C., which he described as a response to growing lawlessness.
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