US President Donald Trump has no authority to deploy troops in Chicago, said Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, quoted by Reuters, BTA reports.
“Trump has no legal basis, no authority to deploy federal military personnel in the city of Chicago“, Jeffries told CNN, emphasizing that such a step would be an attempt to artificially create a crisis.
According to him, there is no emergency in the city. A position shared by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker. Official figures show that crime, including murders, has declined in Chicago over the past year.
However, Trump has said that his crackdown on crime could extend to Chicago. He has also hinted at a similar move for Baltimore, Maryland, criticizing Governor Wes Moore for his "abysmal crime rate."
However, local government figures show that Baltimore has also seen an improvement, with 84 murders so far this year, the lowest number in more than 50 years.
On the social network Truth Social, Trump said he was ready to send military troops to Baltimore "like he has in Washington, D.C.," where he has already deployed the National Guard and federal agents. The president credited the move with "the disappearance of crime." in the capital, without providing evidence, even though official statistics show a decline even before that.
Legal experts point out that under federal law, the president can only use the military in the event of an invasion, rebellion, or obstruction of justice. If Trump invokes this text again and sends the National Guard to Democratic strongholds like Chicago or Baltimore, he will almost certainly face lawsuits.