Trump Administration Labels Certain U.S. Cities As ’War Zones’

The Trump administration labelled Chicago as a “war zone” after it deployed federal soldiers to the city, despite objections from Democratic officials. The United States President Donald Trump had earlier deployed 300 National Guard soldiers to Chicago, despite the opposition of elected leaders including the mayor and State Governor J.B. Pritzker.

Democrats have accused Trump of a power grab using law enforcement and military personnel in Democratic-run cities, AFP reported. 

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the move on Sunday (October 5, 2025), claiming on Fox News, that Chicago is “a war zone.”

Pritzker, however, speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union” show, accused Republicans of aiming to sow “mayhem on the ground. They want to create a war zone, so that they can send in even more troops.”

“They need to get the heck out,” he added.

CBS had released a poll which found that 42 percent of Americans favored the deployment of the National Guard while 58 percent opposed it. 

Trump, however, had defended his decision on Tuesday (September 30, 2025) asserting that using the military for a “war from within” – shows no sign of backing off his hardline campaign. Other Republican leaders have also backed his move. 

In Portland, however, a federal court ruled the deployment was unlawful. U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut issued a temporary block, saying “the president’s determination was simply untethered to the facts.”

“This is a nation of Constitutional law, not martial law,” she said. 

Trump has claimed that “Portland is burning to the ground. It’s insurrectionists all over the place.”

The crackdown by Trump is headed by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) with raids, primarily in Democrat-run cities. The raids have seen groups of masked, armed men in unmarked cars and armoured vehicles target residential neighbourhoods and businesses, sparking protests.