Donald Trump isn’t happy with Chicago.

Now he’s using AI to deliver a sharp warning to the city’s leaders.

And, as usual, not everyone is impressed with the president’s choice of image.

Inspired by the Vietnam War movie
Last week, President Donald Trump labeled Chicago “the most dangerous city in the world” and vowed to send military forces there, as well as to Baltimore.

“This isn’t about politics, it’s about obligation,” he said at a press conference. “When 20 people have been killed in the last two and a half weeks and 75 more shot, I have a duty to act.”

Over the weekend, Trump took things even further when he posted a bizarre AI-generated image on Truth Social, leaving many Americans confused — and some genuinely alarmed.

The image, inspired by Francis Ford Coppola’s 1979 Vietnam War classic Apocalypse Now, shows Trump as Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore. He’s sitting on a burning beach with helicopters flying overhead, while the Chicago skyline burns in the background. Across the image, he wrote: “Chipocalypse Now.”

A darkly comedic twist
Trump’s message wasn’t subtle. He added a direct note to the city ahead of his plans to deploy the National Guard and enforce his tough-on-crime policies.

“Chicago about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR.”

He even threw in a darkly comedic twist on a movie quote:

“I love the smell of deportations in the morning…”

Trump has also signed an executive order to rename the Defense Department the “Department of War,” months after campaigning for consideration for the Nobel Peace Prize.

”This is not a joke”
His provocative AI post comes as Illinois Governor JB Pritzker warned of a possible influx of about 300 immigration enforcement agents. Pritzker fired back on X (formerly Twitter):

“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.”

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also weighed in:

“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.”

Similar tactics in Washington, D.C
Despite the backlash, Trump later insisted the post was tongue-in-cheek:

“We’re not going to war. We’re going to clean up our cities,” he told reporters on the White House lawn.

“We’re going to clear them up so they don’t kill every five people every weekend. That’s not war. That’s common sense.”

Trump has already used similar tactics in Washington, D.C., sending the National Guard to fight crime and remove the homeless. Now, he says, other cities could be next — including Baltimore and New York City.

“The people of Chicago… are screaming for us to come,” Trump said.

“African-American ladies, beautiful ladies, are saying, ‘Please President Trump, come to Chicago, please.’ I did great with the Black vote, as you know. They want something to happen… So I think Chicago will be our next, then we’re gonna help with New York.”

Pritzker fired back, saying there is no emergency in the city:

“There is no emergency that warrants deployment of troops. He is insulting the people by calling our home a hellhole.”

Trump doubled down, citing local crime statistics:

“This would mean that over the past number of weeks, approximately 50 people were killed, and hundreds were shot, many expected to die. Governor Pritzker just stated that he doesn’t want Federal Government HELP! WHY??? I want to help the people of Chicago, not hurt them. Only the Criminals will be hurt!”

Ranked 37th for homicide rate among U.S. cities
So far this year, 278 people have been killed in Chicago, which is 118 fewer than in 2024. If the current pace continues, the city could see around 412 homicides this year, a rate of roughly 15 per 100,000 residents, according to The Guardian.

The number could end up even lower, since homicides typically rise during the summer months. In 2024, Chicago ranked 37th for homicide rate among U.S. cities with more than 50,000 residents, and 14th among cities with over 100,000 residents. With violence continuing to drop to 60-year lows, the city’s ranking is expected to fall even further this year.

Of course, social media has exploded with reactions after Trump’s claims. Critics slammed Trump for his aggressive stance on immigration and militarized policing:

“He’s a coward who is trying to act tough by violating the citizens civil rights.”

“Someone that condescending should immediately be disqualified to run for leadership.”

“Its a nasty question. She’s challenging him. NOBODY is allowed to challenge him. Either softball questions or high praise or its perceived as nasty. What a tiny fragile pig he is.”

“Common sense would be working WITH the cities not INVADING them.”