Trump Vows to ‘Liberate Chicago’ in Fundraising Email to Supporters

Amid his threats to deploy the military against Chicago over objections from state and city leaders, President Donald Trump sent a fundraising email to his supporters Wednesday vowing to “liberate” the U.S.’ third-largest city.

“WE’RE GOING INTO CHICAGO,” the email said under a large banner reading “CHICAGO WILL BE LIBERATED.”

“I’m not saying when, but we’re going in!” it continued, echoing Trump’s response earlier this week when asked whether he would send troops to Chicago.

“This isn’t a political thing; We have the right to do it because I HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO KEEP AMERICA SAFE!,” the email claimed after citing gun violence in Chicago.

Trump routinely fixates on crime in cities in Democratic-run states, falsely portraying those cities as being overrun with violent crime while disregarding cities in Republican-run states — some of which sent National Guard troops to D.C. — that have higher crime rates. 

Data from the Chicago Police Department and the FBI indicate that the Windy City ranks 80th overall for violent crime among cities with populations of 100,000 or more, according to a CBS News analysis.

Trump’s disparity in focus has led some Democratic leaders to conclude that rather than seeking to curtail crime, the president instead desires to deploy troops and federal agents as a form of punishment against states and municipalities controlled by his political opponents.

In addition to Chicago, he has also repeatedly threatened to deploy troops to Baltimore and New York City, both of which are run by Democrats.

At the end of Wednesday’s email, supporters were asked to pledge $15 to “to join the MAGA Blitz” against Chicago, a term routinely associated with Nazi Germany’s notorious bombing campaign against the United Kingdom during World War II.

The email was paid for by the Trump National Committee JFC, which is a joint fundraising committee between Never Surrender Inc. — Trump’s primary super PAC — and the Republican National Committee (RNC).

Shortly after his supporters received the email, Trump in a press conference appeared less certain about sending troops to Illinois, saying instead that his administration was deliberating between sending the military to Chicago or New Orleans.

“We’re making a determination now: Do we go to Chicago, or do we go to a place like New Orleans, where we have a great governor who wants us to come in,” the president said, referring to Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican.

The president’s conflicting messaging came after Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker warned in a press conference Tuesday that Trump was preparing to deploy the Texas National Guard to Illinois. 

The governor added that the Trump administration was gearing up for aggressive immigration raids throughout Chicago by relocating hundreds of federal agents from Los Angeles and staging vehicles and resources on federal properties in the city.

Pritzker said the Trump administration may be planning to use the raids to provoke unrest and create pretext to deploy troops in Chicago.

Aggressive immigration operations in Los Angeles this summer incited protests, which Trump then cited in orders deploying National Guard troops and Marines to the city. 

Unnamed officials in the office of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) have said Texas is not preparing to send troops to Illinois. 

If Trump sends Texas National Guard troops into Illinois, it will mark the first time he’s deployed one state’s guard personnel against a non-consenting state.