Mayor Brandon Johnson has said the US president’s words indicate that he wants to occupy the city and “break our Constitution”

US President Donald Trump has ramped up threats to deploy federal troops to Chicago for an immigration crackdown, warning that the city “will soon find out” why he renamed the Defense Department the “Department of WAR.” The warning follows Trump’s order to dramatically ramp up deportations in Democrat-led cities after riots swept Los Angeles earlier this year.

On Saturday, Trump posted on Truth Social what appears to be an AI-generated meme showing him in military uniform with the Chicago skyline, helicopters, and flames in the background. Above the image, Trump wrote: “I love the smell of deportations in the morning… Chicago about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR.”

The caption to the meme read: “Chipocalypse Now,” a play on the 1979 film ‘Apocalypse Now’, which includes the line: “I love the smell of napalm in the morning.” Trump offered no further details.

Trump’s warning has drawn massive pushback from local officials. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker wrote on X that the president “is threatening to go to war with an American city,” adding, “Illinois won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator.”

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

Illinois Representative Mike Quigley told Politico at Chicago’s Mexican Independence Day parade that Trump spoke “like a true tyrant.”

“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 wrote on X.

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.

We must defend our democracy from this authoritarianism by protecting each other and protecting Chicago from Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/B7AH1ufByH

— Mayor Brandon Johnson (@ChicagosMayor) September 6, 2025

Illegal immigration has been a central focus of Trump’s presidency. On Inauguration Day, he vowed to deport “millions and millions” of undocumented immigrants. Since then, he has expanded border security, tripled Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention funding, cut humanitarian programs, and detained thousands of illegal migrants, among other regulatory measures.

READ MORE: Trump orders name change for Department of Defense

Saturday’s post adds to Trump’s repeated threats to include Chicago in his list of cities targeted for expanded immigration enforcement. In June, his administration deployed National Guard troops to Los Angeles, followed by Washington, DC, after mass pro-immigration riots. Trump has also suggested that Baltimore and New Orleans could face similar measures.

The potential talks could take place in October in South Korea, the network has reported

US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping could meet in October in South Korea during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, CNN reported on Saturday, citing sources. This comes amid trade tensions between the two countries.

According to three unnamed Trump administration officials, the president and his top advisers “are quietly preparing” to travel to the APEC meeting and hold talks with the trade ministers of member states. The APEC summit is scheduled for late October to early November in Gyeongju, South Korea.

The officials added that “there have been serious discussions about a bilateral meeting” between Trump and Xi on the sidelines of the forum, but “no firm plans are in place.”

Trade tensions between the US and China have been running high. In early 2025, Trump imposed sweeping tariffs as high as 145% on Chinese goods, prompting reciprocal tariffs of 125% from Beijing. The two countries agreed in May, however, to a temporary tariff truce, which has been extended to mid-November.

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US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said last month that the current arrangement was “working pretty well,” adding that the sides were holding “very good talks” and are likely to meet again before the truce expires.

The CNN report noted that Trump’s presence in the region could open the door to a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the first since 2019, although it is unclear whether he will attend. US officials told the network that more emphasis is being placed on meeting with Xi.

This comes in the wake of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in China. Commenting on the gathering on Truth Social, Trump remarked, “Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China.” He also claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kim are “conspiring” against the US, after the two leaders held talks.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected speculation of any plots against the US, suggesting that Trump’s remarks should not be taken literally.

The potential talks could take place in October in South Korea, the network has reported

US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping could meet in October in South Korea during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, CNN reported on Saturday, citing sources. This comes amid trade tensions between the two countries.

According to three unnamed Trump administration officials, the president and his top advisers “are quietly preparing” to travel to the APEC meeting and hold talks with the trade ministers of member states. The APEC summit is scheduled for late October to early November in Gyeongju, South Korea.

The officials added that “there have been serious discussions about a bilateral meeting” between Trump and Xi on the sidelines of the forum, but “no firm plans are in place.”

Trade tensions between the US and China have been running high. In early 2025, Trump imposed sweeping tariffs as high as 145% on Chinese goods, prompting reciprocal tariffs of 125% from Beijing. The two countries agreed in May, however, to a temporary tariff truce, which has been extended to mid-November.

Read more

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said last month that the current arrangement was “working pretty well,” adding that the sides were holding “very good talks” and are likely to meet again before the truce expires.

The CNN report noted that Trump’s presence in the region could open the door to a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the first since 2019, although it is unclear whether he will attend. US officials told the network that more emphasis is being placed on meeting with Xi.

This comes in the wake of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in China. Commenting on the gathering on Truth Social, Trump remarked, “Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China.” He also claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kim are “conspiring” against the US, after the two leaders held talks.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected speculation of any plots against the US, suggesting that Trump’s remarks should not be taken literally.

The US vice president has dismissed accusations of war crimes

US Vice President J.D. Vance has bluntly rejected accusations that a missile strike on a boat carrying alleged Venezuela-linked cartel members amounted to a war crime.

On Tuesday, the US destroyed what President Donald Trump described as a “drug-carrying boat” in international waters in the southern Caribbean, killing 11 people on board. Trump claimed the vessel was tied to the Tren de Aragua cartel, which he has designated as a terrorist organization. Venezuelan officials dismissed the footage as fabricated, calling it “cartoonish.”

In a post on X on Saturday, Vance praised the strike, saying that “killing cartel members who poison our fellow citizens is the highest and best use of our military.”

Social media influencer and frequent Trump critic Brian Krassenstein challenged the attack’s legality, arguing that “killing the citizens of another nation who are civilians without any due process is called a war crime.”

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“I don’t give a s**t what you call it,” Vance replied.

While many Trump supporters backed the vice president, Senator Rand Paul condemned his remarks as “despicable and thoughtless.”

The strike followed the deployment of a US naval armada in the western Caribbean last month as part of Trump’s crackdown on drug trafficking. In 2020, a US court indicted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on charges of leading the Cartel de los Soles, an allegation he denounced as a plot to topple him.

CNN reported on Friday that Trump is considering strikes against cartels inside Venezuela. The president has denied regime change plans but described the country’s 2024 election as “very strange.”

The US vice president has dismissed accusations of war crimes

US Vice President J.D. Vance has bluntly rejected accusations that a missile strike on a boat carrying alleged Venezuela-linked cartel members amounted to a war crime.

On Tuesday, the US destroyed what President Donald Trump described as a “drug-carrying boat” in international waters in the southern Caribbean, killing 11 people on board. Trump claimed the vessel was tied to the Tren de Aragua cartel, which he has designated as a terrorist organization. Venezuelan officials dismissed the footage as fabricated, calling it “cartoonish.”

In a post on X on Saturday, Vance praised the strike, saying that “killing cartel members who poison our fellow citizens is the highest and best use of our military.”

Social media influencer and frequent Trump critic Brian Krassenstein challenged the attack’s legality, arguing that “killing the citizens of another nation who are civilians without any due process is called a war crime.”

Read more

“I don’t give a s**t what you call it,” Vance replied.

While many Trump supporters backed the vice president, Senator Rand Paul condemned his remarks as “despicable and thoughtless.”

The strike followed the deployment of a US naval armada in the western Caribbean last month as part of Trump’s crackdown on drug trafficking. In 2020, a US court indicted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on charges of leading the Cartel de los Soles, an allegation he denounced as a plot to topple him.

CNN reported on Friday that Trump is considering strikes against cartels inside Venezuela. The president has denied regime change plans but described the country’s 2024 election as “very strange.”

The suspect has cast ballots in her pet’s name twice, the prosecutors say

A California woman has been charged with registering her dog to vote and casting ballots in her pet’s name in two elections, the Orange County Attorney General’s Office said on Friday.

Prosecutors said Laura Lee Yourex “self-reported” her actions in 2024 and now faces five felony counts. If convicted on all charges, she could serve up to six years in prison.

According to the statement, Yourex submitted a mail-in ballot under the name of her dog, Maya Jean Yourex, in the 2021 gubernatorial recall election, which was counted. She attempted to do so again in the 2022 primary election, but that ballot was rejected.

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In 2022, Yourex reportedly posted a photo of Maya wearing an ‘I voted’ sticker on social media. Two years later, she shared another post showing the dog’s tag alongside a ballot with the caption “maya is still getting her ballot,” even though the pet had already died, prosecutors said.

California does not require residents to present identification to register or vote in state elections, though ID is required for first-time voters in federal contests.

US President Donald Trump has argued that mail-in voting enables election fraud, and has vowed to ban the practice before the 2026 midterms. California is among 19 states suing to block his executive order aimed at tightening identification rules and restricting the counting of mail-in ballots.

The suspect has cast ballots in her pet’s name twice, the prosecutors say

A California woman has been charged with registering her dog to vote and casting ballots in her pet’s name in two elections, the Orange County Attorney General’s Office said on Friday.

Prosecutors said Laura Lee Yourex “self-reported” her actions in 2024 and now faces five felony counts. If convicted on all charges, she could serve up to six years in prison.

According to the statement, Yourex submitted a mail-in ballot under the name of her dog, Maya Jean Yourex, in the 2021 gubernatorial recall election, which was counted. She attempted to do so again in the 2022 primary election, but that ballot was rejected.

Read more

In 2022, Yourex reportedly posted a photo of Maya wearing an ‘I voted’ sticker on social media. Two years later, she shared another post showing the dog’s tag alongside a ballot with the caption “maya is still getting her ballot,” even though the pet had already died, prosecutors said.

California does not require residents to present identification to register or vote in state elections, though ID is required for first-time voters in federal contests.

US President Donald Trump has argued that mail-in voting enables election fraud, and has vowed to ban the practice before the 2026 midterms. California is among 19 states suing to block his executive order aimed at tightening identification rules and restricting the counting of mail-in ballots.

Around 300 South Korean nationals were swept up in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant in Georgia, Seoul has said

South Korea has lodged a protest after the US immigration authorities detained hundreds of workers at Hyundai’s electric vehicle manufacturing complex in Georgia.

The raid took place on Thursday at the construction site of a battery plant in Bryan County near Savannah, a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution that employs around 1,200 people. US Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) said the operation was part of an inquiry into unlawful employment practices.

The Atlanta office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives reported that 450 “unlawful aliens” were taken into custody.

Today, @ATFAtlanta joined HSI, FBI, DEA, ICE, GSP and other agencies in a major immigration enforcement operation at the Hyundai mega site battery plant in Bryan County, GA, leading to the apprehension of ~450 unlawful aliens, emphasizing our commitment to community safety. #ATF pic.twitter.com/su6raLrLu6

— ATF Atlanta (@ATFAtlanta) September 4, 2025

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said around 300 of those detained were South Korean nationals, including employees of partner firms visiting on business trips. Many reportedly entered the US on short-term business visas or under the Visa Waiver Program, but the immigration authorities concluded that their activities at the site did not match the purpose of their stay.

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“The economic activities of our investment firms and the rights of our citizens must not be unfairly infringed upon during US law enforcement operations,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday, according to local media. “We have also conveyed our concerns and regret through the US Embassy in Seoul, urging them to ensure that the legitimate rights and interests of our citizens are fully protected.”

The ministry added that President Lee Jae-myung ordered “an all-out response” to resolve the issue, with Seoul considering “trips to the US by high-level officials.”

US President Donald Trump has made illegal immigration a central focus of his administration, vowing to carry out the largest deportation of criminal aliens in the country’s history.

Around 300 South Korean nationals were swept up in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant in Georgia, Seoul has said

South Korea has lodged a protest after the US immigration authorities detained hundreds of workers at Hyundai’s electric vehicle manufacturing complex in Georgia.

The raid took place on Thursday at the construction site of a battery plant in Bryan County near Savannah, a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution that employs around 1,200 people. US Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) said the operation was part of an inquiry into unlawful employment practices.

The Atlanta office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives reported that 450 “unlawful aliens” were taken into custody.

Today, @ATFAtlanta joined HSI, FBI, DEA, ICE, GSP and other agencies in a major immigration enforcement operation at the Hyundai mega site battery plant in Bryan County, GA, leading to the apprehension of ~450 unlawful aliens, emphasizing our commitment to community safety. #ATF pic.twitter.com/su6raLrLu6

— ATF Atlanta (@ATFAtlanta) September 4, 2025

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said around 300 of those detained were South Korean nationals, including employees of partner firms visiting on business trips. Many reportedly entered the US on short-term business visas or under the Visa Waiver Program, but the immigration authorities concluded that their activities at the site did not match the purpose of their stay.

Read more

“The economic activities of our investment firms and the rights of our citizens must not be unfairly infringed upon during US law enforcement operations,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday, according to local media. “We have also conveyed our concerns and regret through the US Embassy in Seoul, urging them to ensure that the legitimate rights and interests of our citizens are fully protected.”

The ministry added that President Lee Jae-myung ordered “an all-out response” to resolve the issue, with Seoul considering “trips to the US by high-level officials.”

US President Donald Trump has made illegal immigration a central focus of his administration, vowing to carry out the largest deportation of criminal aliens in the country’s history.

Backers of the banned group rallied on Parliament Square on Saturday

More than 425 people were arrested in London on Saturday for showing support for the banned activist group Palestine Action, the Metropolitan Police have said.

The group was outlawed under the Terrorism Act in June after its members broke into a military base and spray-painted two planes red in protest against Israel’s war in Gaza. Since then, its supporters have staged multiple demonstrations against the ban.

On Saturday, activists gathered on Parliament Square carrying Palestinian flags and signs reading “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.”

Police detained people standing and sitting on the lawn, including several activists in wheelchairs. Some protesters were filmed scuffling with officers.

The reality: Met police violently assault peaceful protestors including the elderly, in order to try and arrest over a thousand people for holding cardboard signs.

So far, the police have only managed to arrest a small fraction of the nearly 1500 sign holders. https://t.co/R0eS53EFVP pic.twitter.com/z676sQiEfo

— Defend Our Juries (@DefendourJuries) September 6, 2025

The reality: the police are punching their way through the crowds to mass arrest peaceful protestors for holding cardboard signs. https://t.co/VEMHstGqjd pic.twitter.com/ofDOgEIBw2

— Defend Our Juries (@DefendourJuries) September 6, 2025

“In carrying out their duties today, our officers have been punched, kicked, spat on and had objects thrown at them by protesters,” Deputy Assistant Commissioner Claire Smart said.

Officers continue to make arrests of individuals showing support for the proscribed terrorist organisation Palestine Action at the Defend Our Juries protest.

There has been a coordinated effort to prevent officers carrying out their duties which has included physical and verbal… pic.twitter.com/c3QTHQawBs

— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) September 6, 2025

Protesters remained in Parliament Square until the evening. Defend Our Juries, the group that organized the rally, described the protest as “one of the biggest mass acts of civil disobedience in British history.”