Washington, 23 August 2025 (dpa/MIA) - US President Donald Trump is threatening to extend his controversial measures to tackle what he calls rampant crime from Washington - where he has deployed hundreds of National Guard officers - to the city of Chicago.

"I think Chicago will be ... next," Trump said in the Oval Office on Friday. He did not elaborate on what exactly he plans, but suggested New York might be after Chicago.

Trump is likely to face fierce opposition from Chicago and New York politicians - not only because the cities are heavily Democratic but also because as independent cities, the federal government does not have the legal authority over them that it has over the District of Columbia.

Trump had earlier spoken about the situation in the US capital and praised the work of the National Guard.

The US president also said, "We are going to make our cities very, very safe. Chicago is a mess." He questioned the competence of the city's Democratic mayor. Chicago, located in the midwest state of Illinois, is one of the largest cities in the United States.

Trump recently activated the National Guard to curb the allegedly out-of-control crime in the US capital. Additionally, he placed the local police under federal control.

Trump's actions in Washington are highly controversial, and there have already been protests.

Data from the district's Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) show that violent crime has actually declined year-to-date between 2024 and this year.

As of Friday, violent crime, including homicides, sex abuse and assault with a dangerous weapon. had dropped by 27% on an annual basis. The figures are preliminary and are based on MPD crime definitions.

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