Trump Claimed He Can “Do Anything” He Wants As President. Here’s What Americans Have To Say

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has already vowed to fight any deployment in court, arguing the president lacks authority under the Posse Comitatus Act, which bars the military from acting as domestic police. Critics say the real danger isn’t just what Trump has done in Los Angeles and Washington, but how willing the courts and Congress have been to look the other way — effectively normalizing military force against American civilians.

For Chicagoans, the stakes feel especially high. Trump has painted the city as a “killing field” despite data showing it just had its safest summer in 50 years. The same is true in Washington, DC, where violent crime in 2024 fell to a 30-year low — with homicides down roughly 32%, armed carjackings down 53%, and major other categories of violent crime all declining sharply.

In Baltimore, local leaders point to similarly steep drops: homicides are down nearly 30% compared to last year, nonfatal shootings have fallen 21%, and the city is experiencing its lowest number of homicides in more than 50 years. For residents in these cities, the president’s threats look less like crime-fighting measures and more like political theater, raising fears that federal overreach could soon land on their doorsteps.