(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) President Donald Trump didn’t hold back on Sunday when NBC reporter Yamiche Alcindor tried to claim he was preparing to “go to war” with Chicago, calling her “second rate.”
Alcindor’s question was seemingly tied to an AI-generated meme Trump had shared in relation to the possibility of National Guard deployment to the city.
“When you say that, darling, that’s fake news,” Trump shot back.
.@POTUS BODIES @Yamiche for asking if we're "going to war with Chicago":
"You never listen. That's why you're second-rate. We're not going to war. We're going to clean up our cities… so they don't kill five people every weekend. That's not war. That's common sense." 🔥 pic.twitter.com/SJluB8lbyX
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 7, 2025
A day earlier, Trump posted a photo of himself seated with flames in the background under the title “Chipocalypse Now” and captioned: “Chicago about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR.”
Alcindor tried to interrupt but Trump swiftly cut her off, lecturing: “Listen. Be quiet. Listen. You don’t listen, you never listen. That’s why you’re second rate. We’re not going to war.”
Trump explained that a potential deployment of federal troops to Chicago would be aimed at cleaning up the city “so they don’t kill 5 people every weekend.”
“That’s not war—that’s common sense!” he added.
Trump’s exchange with Alcindor came as Illinois Democrats threatened to resist federal intervention in the crime-plagued state.
Some seized on the meme as a literal threat. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker raged on X: “The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city.”
“This is not a joke. This is not normal. Donald Trump isn’t a strongman, he’s a scared man. Illinois won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator,” he added.
The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city.
This is not a joke. This is not normal.
Donald Trump isn't a strongman, he's a scared man. Illinois won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator. pic.twitter.com/f87Zek7Cqb
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) September 6, 2025
Worse still, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson flirted with talk of insurrection last month.
“We’re gonna remain firm. We’ll take legal action, but the people of this city are accustomed to rising up against tyranny,” he said. “And if that’s necessary, I believe the people of Chicago will stand firm alongside me, as I work every single day to protect the people of this city.”
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says residents will “rise up” if President Trump moves to intervene in the city’s crime crisis.
Follow: @AFpost pic.twitter.com/1KxOxLWRwe
— AF Post (@AFpost) August 24, 2025
