Governor slams Trump over ‘Department of War’ post amid Chicago federal crackdown protests

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker condemned a social media post by US President Donald Trump showing helicopters flying over the city of Chicago, with a photo of Trump in a cowboy hat and flames in the background, as well as captions saying, "I love the smell of deportations in the morning…", "Chicago about to find out why it's called the Department of War", and "Chipocalypse Now".

The Governor denounced the post, calling Trump's message a threat "to go to war with an American city" "not normal".

Protests erupt in Chicago and Washington DC

The raw follows thousands of people in Washington DC and Chicago who marched in protest against the deployment of National Guard troops and immigration agents on Democratic-led cities.

Following Trump's orders federal authorities are set to launch a major immigration enforcement action on Chicago.

The decision has left many Latino residents worried, leading some to keep their documentation on them, while others are giving second thoughts to openly celebrating the upcoming Mexican Independence Day.

Although uncertainty still surrounds the details of Trump's plan, opposition has already emerged, extending into the suburbs. City and state leaders have said they plan to sue the Trump administration.

Last month Trump deployed troops in Washington DC as part of his unprecedented law enforcement takeover of the nation’s capital.

In Washington DC, protesters marched over two miles from Meridian Hill Park to Freedom Plaza near the White House under the banner "END THE DC OCCUPATION" to condemn the fourth week of National Guard troops and federal agents patrolling DC's streets.

The “We Are All D.C.” protest appeared to be the most organised demonstration yet against Trump's federal intervention in Washington. The president justified the action last month as a way to address crime and homelessness in the city, even though city officials have noted that violent crime is lower than it was during Trump’s first term in office.

The presence of armed troops on the streets has made Washington tense and prompted weeks of demonstrations, especially in DC neighbourhoods.

Mark Fitzpatrick, a former US diplomat who has lived in DC for about ten years, on Saturday said that he is worried about the “authoritarian nature” of the administration’s actions, adding that it is worse for residents because they lack federal representation.

"We don’t have our own senators or members of the House of Representatives, so we’re at the mercy of a dictator like this, a wanna-be dictator,” he said.

Trump focused on DC after sending the National Guard to Los Angeles earlier this summer, as his administration increased immigration enforcement and attempted to calm protests. The White House then turned to Washington, giving Trump a chance to push his tough-on-crime agenda because the city answers directly to the federal government.

Trump’s emergency order to take control of DC police is set to end on Wednesday.