Trump Nixes 'Preferred' Plan To Send Troops To Chicago

CHICAGO — Just days after saying the city is "about to find out why it's called the Department of War," President Donald Trump has altered his plans for the time being regarding sending U.S. troops into Chicago to address crime issues.

During an appearance on "Fox and Friends" Friday, Trump hinted he's instead deploying the National Guard to "troubled" Memphis, Tennessee, for the same purpose, but with the support of leaders there, unlike in Chicago.

"I would've preferred to go to Chicago," Trump said. "... We'd love to save Chicago. We don't want to go into a hostile [environment]. The people would greet us, but they have professional agitators."

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Trump said a majority of Chicago residents are in favor of troops being sent to the city, adding that between six and eight people are killed, and 30 to 40 are shot, every week here. He described those numbers as being "worse than Afghanistan."

"Then we have this slob [Gov. JB] Pritzker on television every day, all he does is hit Trump," Trump said. "He had 11 people killed, 28 wounded, and he keeps saying, 'we have no crime problem.' ... It's out of control."

Last week, a federal judge ruled Trump's administration violated federal law by sending National Guard troops to Southern California during the immigration enforcement operations and accompanying protests. Pritzker said he believes Trump is trying to set a legal trap by "begging" the governor to call him.

"He wants to set into the fact pattern that the governor called him to ask for help," Pritzker said. "Why? Because he's going to end up in court. He’s going to end up in court, and that will be a fact that they will use in court that the governor called to ask for help. And I’m sorry, I’m not going to provide him with evidence to support his desire to have the court rule in his favor. "

Trump referenced the newly-named federal agency, the Department of War (formerly the U.S. Department of Defense), as Chicago remains on high alert due to possible immigration raids in the city.

Earlier this week, the Department of Homeland Security requested limited logistical support at the Naval Station Great Lakes in North Chicago. Over 100 people were there last weekend to protest near the station. NBC Chicago reported at least 300 federal agents were expected to come to the naval base as part of Trump's "Operation Midway Blitz."

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Trump has previously said he would deploy U.S. troops to Chicago, as he did this past summer in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles.

"The President's threats are beneath the honor of our nation, but the reality is that he wants to occupy our city and break our Constitution," Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a recent statement. "We must defend our democracy from this authoritarianism by protecting each other and protecting Chicago from Donald Trump."