Donald Trump has been accused of “turning the military on American citizens” after a Pentagon official confirmed that planning is under way to send National Guard troops to Chicago.
Illinois Attorney-General Kwame Raoul, who raised the alarm, also told CBS News that the President’s actions are both “un-American” and “unwise strategically”.
Accusing the President of “turning our military on American citizens in his ongoing attempts to move our nation toward authoritarianism,” he added: “His actions are not just un-American. They are unwise strategically. Our cities are not made safer by deploying the nation’s service members for civilian law enforcement duties when they do not have the appropriate training.
“To be clear: We have made no such request for the type of federal intervention we have seen in Los Angeles or Washington DC. There is no emergency in the state of Illinois.”
It comes as Lieutenant-Governor Juliana Stratton accused Trump of pursuing “political theatrics, not safety,” since crime in Chicago is already declining and there was no local request for troops.
In a statement to ABC7 Chicago, she said:”Tonight’s reporting from the Washington Post that President Trump is preparing to deploy federal troops in Chicago proves what we all know: he is willing to go to any lengths possible to create chaos if it means more political power –no matter who gets hurt.
“As Lieutenant-Governor and throughout my career, I’ve fervently fought for the reformation of our criminal legal system and under the Pritzker-Stratton administration, we’ve made tremendous progress.
“Crime in Chicago is declining and there’s absolutely no rationale for this decision, other than to distract from the pain Trump is inflicting on working families with his dangerous agenda. Illinois, Governor Pritzker and I are here to stand for your rights, your freedoms, and will protect you against whatever storms of hate and fear come our way.”
Earlier yesterday, House Minority Leader and New York Democratic congressman, Hakeem Jeffries, said Trump has “manufactured a crisis” to justify sending federalized national guard troops into Chicago next, over the heads of local leaders.
PHOTO CAPTION: Trump.
