Trump’s ‘Apocalypse Now’ meme fuels Chicago showdown: Governor Pritzker calls him a ‘wannabe dictator’

Trump has often suggested that his authority over the National Guard is nearly limitless.

US President Donald Trump escalated his confrontation with Democratic-led cities this weekend by threatening a new federal crackdown in Chicago, this time with a meme. On Saturday, Trump posted a parody image styled after the 1979 Vietnam War film Apocalypse Now, featuring helicopters over Chicago and himself dressed as Robert Duvall’s war-hungry Lt Col Kilgore.

Alongside the image, labeled 'Chipocalypse Now,' Trump wrote, “I love the smell of deportations in the morning.” The post, designed to echo the film’s famous napalm line, immediately drew sharp criticism, especially in Illinois.

Pritzker pushes back: 'Wannabe dictator'

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker wasted no time in responding, calling Trump a 'wannabe dictator' and warning that his threats to send federal forces amounted to declaring war on an American city.

“This is not a joke. This is not normal,” Pritzker said on X. “Donald Trump isn’t a strongman, he’s a scared man. Illinois won’t be intimidated.”

The governor, a Democrat and possible 2028 presidential contender, vowed legal action to block any attempt by Washington to deploy troops without state consent.

A pattern of federal muscle-flexing

Trump’s meme follows a string of actions where he has moved federal troops and immigration agents into Democratic strongholds.

Los Angeles: National Guard troops were sent in June alongside stepped-up immigration raids.

Washington, DC: Since August, Guard units have patrolled the capital as part of what Trump called an 'unprecedented' federal law enforcement push.

Other cities: Trump has floated similar operations in Baltimore, New Orleans, and Portland, Oregon, even suggesting protesters there could be 'wiped out.'

The Chicago operation, however, would be one of his most high-profile deployments, targeting the nation’s third-largest city.

The 'Department of War' angle

Friday’s executive order added another layer of controversy. Trump signed a directive seeking to rename the Department of Defense as the Department of War, a throwback to the agency’s pre-World War II identity. While such a change requires congressional approval, Trump has been using the symbolism to frame himself as a president unafraid of confrontation.

Trump has often suggested that his authority over the National Guard is nearly limitless. Last month, he argued that if cities are “in danger,” he could deploy troops unilaterally.

“I am not a dictator, by the way,” Trump said, before adding, “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.”