President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday tasking his secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, with establishing “specialized units” in the National Guard that will be “specifically trained and equipped to deal with public order issues” — the clearest sign yet he intends to expand the US military’s role in domestic law enforcement activities across the country.

President Donald Trump is threatening to send National Guard troops to Chicago and other Democratic-run cities, signing an executive order to create a specialized unit to assist local law enforcement in quelling civil disturbances and ensuring public safety.

Illinois leaders, including Gov. Pritzker and Mayor Johnson, slammed the Trump administration's proposed plan to send the National Guard to Chicago, citing a lack of communication from the White House and the fact that Chicago is not in the top 25 most dangerous cities in the US.