Trump's post on social media.
Share and Follow

US President Donald Trump has amplified his promises to send National Guard troops and immigration agents to Chicago by posting a parody image from “Apocalypse Now” featuring a ball of flames as helicopters zoom over the nation’s second-largest city.

“’I love the smell of deportations in the morning,’” Trump wrote on his social media site.

“Chicago about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR.”

Trump's post on social media.
Trump’s post on social media. (Supplied)

The president offered no details beyond the label “Chipocalypse Now,” a play on the title of Francis Ford Coppola’s dystopian 1979 film set in the Vietnam war, in which a character says: “I love the smell of napalm in the morning.”

In response to the post, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, a Democrat, called Trump a “wannabe dictator.”

President Donald Trump speaks at a dinner in the Rose Garden of the White House, Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump speaks at a dinner in the Rose Garden of the White House, Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) (AP)

Trump on Friday signed an executive order seeking to rename the Defence Department the Department of War, after months of campaigning to be considered for the Nobel Peace Prize.

 Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, a Democrat, called Trump a "wannabe dictator."
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, a Democrat, called Trump a “wannabe dictator.” (AP)

The renaming requires congressional approval.

The illustration in Trump’s post shows him against a backdrop of the Chicago skyline, wearing a hat matching that of the movie’s war-loving and amoral Lt. Col. Kilgore, played by Robert Duvall.

Trump’s weekend post follows his repeated threats to add Chicago to the list of other Democratic-led cities he’s targeted for expanded federal enforcement.

His administration is set to step up immigration enforcement in Chicago, as it did in Los Angeles, and deploy National Guard troops.

In addition to sending troops to Los Angeles in June, Trump has deployed them since last month in Washington, as part of his unprecedented law enforcement takeover of the nation’s capital.

He’s also suggested that Baltimore and New Orleans could get the same treatment, and on Friday even mentioned federal authorities possibly heading for Portland, Oregon, to “wipe ’em out,” meaning protesters.

He could have been mistakenly describing video from demonstrations in that city years ago.

Trump's weekend post follows his repeated threats to add Chicago to the list of other Democratic-led cities he's targeted for expanded federal enforcement.
Trump’s weekend post follows his repeated threats to add Chicago to the list of other Democratic-led cities he’s targeted for expanded federal enforcement. (Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Details about Trump’s promised Chicago operation have been sparse, but there’s already widespread opposition.

City and state leaders have said they plan to sue the Trump administration.

Pritzker, a possible 2028 presidential candidate, is also fiercely opposed to it.

The president “is threatening to go to war with an American city,” Pritzker wrote on X over an image of Trump’s post.

“This is not a joke. This is not normal.”

He added: “Donald Trump isn’t a strongman, he’s a scared man. Illinois won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator.”

Trump has suggested that he has nearly limitless powers when it comes to deploying the National Guard. At times he’s even touched on questions about his being a dictator.

“Most people are saying, ‘If you call him a dictator, if he stops crime, he can be whatever he wants’ — I am not a dictator, by the way,” Trump said last month.

He added, “Not that I don’t have — I would — the right to do anything I want to do.”

“I’m the president of the United States,” Trump said then.

“If I think our country is in danger — and it is in danger in these cities — I can do it.”

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Holidaygoers trapped in flash floods open up on moment 'tsunami' hit

Terrifying Flash Floods Trap Holidaygoers: Eyewitnesses Describe the Sudden ‘Tsunami’ Impact

Two holidaygoers caught in yesterday’s “tsunami” flash flood in Victoria have spoken…
Australian father struck and killed by police car in London

Australian Father Fatally Struck by Police Vehicle in London

A man fatally struck by a police car in London has been…

Iranian Protester Shares Harrowing Experience of Street Chaos

This story contains references to distressing content. Cut off from the world…
A man has been shot dead by police after he aimed a bow and arrow at officers during a welfare check at a home in north-central NSW.

Tragic Incident: Man Fatally Shot by Police at Rural NSW Property Sparks Investigation

A man in north-central New South Wales was fatally shot by police…
Unwelcome sign nasty interest rate shock is on the way

Brace Yourself: Significant Interest Rate Hike Looms Ahead

Australia’s biggest bank has hiked its fixed home loan rates, in a…
Indigenous wildlife 'expert' goes viral over his videos on Australian native animals - but there's one HUGE problem: 'This is so insulting'

Viral Wildlife Videos Spark Controversy: Indigenous Expert Faces Backlash Over Australian Animal Content

An Indigenous-themed social media sensation has captivated hundreds of thousands through a…

Faith Leaders Urge Reevaluation of Hate Speech Legislation Due to Potential Unintended Consequences

Influential religious leaders have urged the prime minister to halt sweeping hate…

Juliet Sets Sail Again: Australian-Led Voyage to Gaza Embarks with Renewed Determination

An Australian woman is one of thousands of people planning to sail…