National Guard in Chicago? A City on Edge

All Episodes

September 18, 2025 • 26 mins

This week we examine US President Donald Trump's continuing threat to deploy the National Guard to Chicago, explaining the legal, political, and community contexts, and how the prospect is being faced up to by state, city and civil groups concerned for their liberties.

While presenting the facts as we understand them, we also take an editorial perspective, focussing on local fears about the threat and against the backdrop of an uneasy rhetoric among some political figures and social media influencers in the wake of the shooting of Charlie Kirk. As always, we invite listeners to join us in holding intentions and offering prayers for wisdom, protection, and unity as the situation unfolds.

Intentions and prayers start at 23 minutes 10 seconds.

Suggested Intention Focus for this week

This week, as Chicago braces itself for a possible uncertain period of civil unease, we suggest holding as our main intention:

We will that wise heads will prevail in the White House among those who have the ear to advise the President on the real incidence of crime in Chicago, and the wisdom or otherwise of deploying the National Guard into the city.

Please join us in holding this.

Chapter markers:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:55 The Threat in Chicago

00:02:52 Political Reactions and Concerns

00:11:07 National Guard Deployment Circumstances

00:17:57 Chicagoans’ Fears and Responses

00:21:19 Criticism of the Presidential Threat

00:22:45 Intentions and Prayers

Sources referenced in this episode:

https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago-national-guard-news-how-could-president-donald-trump-use-illinois/17656837/

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/09/04/us/chicago-national-guard-deployment-preparations