An AI-generated image shared by Donald Trump has ignited national controversy after he appeared to threaten an American city with “war.”
The dramatic post, styled after Apocalypse Now, has drawn fierce backlash from state leaders who accuse the president of authoritarian behavior.

Donald Trump turned to artificial intelligence over the weekend to deliver one of his most startling political messages yet. On Saturday, September 6, the president uploaded a digitally created image to his Truth Social account alongside a menacing note directed at Chicago.

The picture, heavily inspired by the cult war film Apocalypse Now, shows Trump taking on the persona of Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore, played by Robert Duvall. In the AI artwork, “Colonel Trump” sits defiantly on a fiery battlefield while helicopters swarm above the orange-hazed Chicago skyline. Across the image, the words “Chipocalypse Now” are scrawled in bold letters—an unmistakable nod to impending conflict.

Trump paired the image with provocative text, writing: “Chicago about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR.” The phrase referenced his controversial rebranding of the Department of Defense. He further fueled outrage by twisting a famous line from the movie, declaring: “I love the smell of deportations in the morning.”

The post immediately sparked fierce criticism. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker blasted the move on X (formerly Twitter), saying: “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.” He went on to accuse Trump of ruling through fear, adding that Illinois “won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator.”

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also condemned the president’s words, stating: “The President’s threats are beneath the honor of our nation. 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.”

Trump later attempted to soften the message, telling reporters on September 7 that the image was meant as a joke. “We’re not going to war. We’re going to clean up our cities,” he insisted, claiming his goal was to reduce violent crime. “That’s not war. That’s common sense.”

Still, critics argue that his rhetoric is part of a wider pattern. Just last month, Trump announced plans for a federal takeover of policing in Washington, D.C., deploying the National Guard to fight crime and disperse homeless encampments. He has since hinted that similar crackdowns may be coming to other Democratic-led cities, including Baltimore and New York.

Despite the backlash, Trump doubled down by citing Chicago’s recent wave of gun violence. He pointed to reports of six murders and 12 shootings in a single weekend, saying the federal government had a duty to act. “I want to help the people of Chicago, not hurt them. Only the criminals will be hurt,” he argued.

Whether viewed as satire or a warning, the AI-generated image has once again highlighted Trump’s reliance on spectacle, provocation, and technology to dominate the political conversation—leaving Chicago residents and leaders bracing for what may come next.