On 02 September, President Trump announced plans to deploy National Guard troops to Chicago as part of a broader federal intervention in major US cities. The move, framed as a response to increasing crime, comes despite reports from city officials indicating a recent decline in homicides and gun violence. Legal challenges are expected from state officials who oppose the intervention, as the recent decision by a federal judge in California to block a similar deployment provides a legal precedent for their opposition. This preemptive activation marks a significant shift, as National Guard deployments have historically been reserved for situations of major civil unrest or disaster relief.