Trump's threat to deploy troops sparks fear, defiance in tense Chicago

US President Donald Trump's threats to deploy National Guard troops to Chicago sent ripples through America's third-largest city as many residents defended their home against Trump's escalating rhetoric toward its violent crime, including claims it is a killing field.

The threat of federal troops stirred a mix of fear, frustration and defiance for residents as they pointed to historic drops in violent crime. Groups constantly pressing for police reform said sending troops who lack training in de-escalating violence or any knowledge about the nuances of neighborhoods still grappling with violent crime would undo progress made in recent years.

The sentiment was echoed by people going about their day commuters heading to work, cyclists weaving through traffic, and friends pausing to take photos along Michigan Avenue who said the presence of troops would only heighten tensions, not ease them.

 

It's a direct affront to the progress our communities have made, said Bradly Johnson, who leads BUILD Chicago. The anti-violence organisation focuses its efforts on neighborhoods on the city's West Side that have seen persistent crime, even as rates overall have fallen.

It's not a war zone," Johnson said. "They're vibrant resilient communities where young people deserve opportunities and not intimidation.

Trump has focused on Chicago  Trump has long singled out Chicago, making it a recurring theme on the campaign trail in both 2016 and 2024. He has drawn controversial comparisons between the city and war zones like Afghanistan, and in 2017, he vowed to send in the feds in response to gun violence.

But data paints a more nuanced picture of crime one that varies dramatically block by block and that has seen recent progress.

Violent crime in Chicago dropped significantly in the first half of the year, representing the steepest decline in over a decade, according to city data. Shootings are down 37 per cent, and homicides have dropped by 32 per cent, while total violence crime dropped by over 22 per cent.

The empirical data is very clear that the Chicago trend is extremely positive, said John Roman, who directs the Center on Public Safety and Justice at the University of Chicago. ... Chicago is doing better than the rest of the country on a lot of really important measures.

Crime in Chicago also represents persistent, localized challenges, said Kimberley Smith, director of national programs for the University of Chicago Crime Lab. The neighborhoods with the highest homicide rates experience about 68 times more homicides than those with the lowest rates.

Rene Cardona, a maintenance worker born and raised in Chicago, acknowledged these inequities in exposure to violent crime while maintaining that he feels safe in Chicago generally.

It depends where you're at and what time it is, he said. "Overall, Chicago's a pretty good place to live ... There's more good people than bad people here.