Trump threatens to invade Chicago & Venezuela
Trump is manufacturing a crisis to justify authoritarian assaults on Democratic cities with Black mayors like LA, DC, Baltimore, and now Chicago. This, despite data showing violent crime in Chicago has dropped over 30% this year. He claims it’s what people in Chicago want.
“The people in Chicago are screaming for us to come. They’re wearing red hats. African American ladies, beautiful ladies, are saying, Please, President Trump. Come to Chicago.” — ABC News
In the same breath, he’s ordered the deployment of three U.S. warships—the USS Gravely, USS Jason Dunham, and USS Sampson—to waters off Venezuela. The move is part of his declared war on Latin American drug cartels, which he’s now labeling foreign terrorist organizations.
President Nicolas Maduro has called on citizens to respond to the current US "threat" and sign up over the weekend to the Bolivarian Militia, a civilian corps linked to the South American country's armed forces. Militia registration centres were set up in the capital's squares, military and public buildings, and even in the presidential palace Miraflores.
Weekend Quotables
Illinois Gov. Pritzker
“After using Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. as his testing ground for authoritarian overreach, Trump is now openly flirting with the idea of taking over other states and cities,” he wrote in a subsequent post, just hours after Trump turned his sights on the Windy City during a speech from the White House…We don’t play those games.” — WGN9
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson
What the President is proposing would be the most flagrant violation of our Constitution in the 21st Century. The City of Chicago does not need a military occupation. — X
Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (Via Ald. Vasquez)
I know Trump is not too smart and possibly senile, so he might not remember when Chicagoans ran him out of town in 2016–but we do. We all see the distraction game he’s playing for just what it is, and Chicagoans don’t take well to being threatened. Keep Chicago out of your mouth! — X
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich
Called for an all-out extermination campaign in Gaza City:
“Whoever doesn’t evacuate, don’t let them. No water, no electricity—they can die of hunger or surrender. This is what we want and you’re capable [of doing it].” — Times of Israel
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene
U.S. taxpayers fund Israel $3.8 billion annually for military aid. That means every U.S. taxpayer is contributing to Israel’s military actions. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to pay for genocide in a foreign country against a foreign people for a foreign war that I had nothing to do with. And I will not be silent about it. — X
Trump on the Oval Office:
"You see the way this is looking. I can't tell you how much that gold costs. A lot of money. This beautiful office needed it." — Comment
