The Small Business Tax Freedom Plan would apply to new companies earning under $5 million annually. It features simplified annual filing, reinvestment incentives and partnerships with states that streamline start-up regulations.
PARK RIDGE - U.S. Senate candidate Casey Chlebek is calling for a five-year federal income tax holiday for new small businesses, a proposal he says would help revive struggling local economies and ease the financial pressure on first-time entrepreneurs across Illinois. The plan was released Monday as part of Pillar Five of his MAGNA Agenda, a platform he describes as focused on restoring economic opportunity.
The proposal, called the Small Business Tax Freedom Plan, would eliminate federal income taxes for newly registered small businesses earning less than $5 million annually during their first five taxable years. Start-ups launched in high-poverty ZIP codes, rural distressed counties, Opportunity Zones and other underserved areas would qualify for an automatic extension to seven years.
“Small businesses don’t need another handout—they need Washington to get out of the way,” Chlebek said in the announcement. “If you have the courage to start something in this country, the government shouldn’t punish you for trying.”
Chlebek pointed to what he called a steep loss of Illinois small businesses since 2020, citing figures showing the state has shed more than 63,000 during that period. He said the trend continues to hit communities from Peoria to Rockford and throughout southern Illinois, where residents tell him they want to work and invest but can’t afford the costs of starting a business.
Key components of the plan include a simplified one-page annual federal filing, a tax credit for owners who reinvest early profits into hiring or expansion, and matching grants for states and counties that lower fees or streamline permitting. The campaign said revenue caps and ownership rules would prevent corporations, subsidiaries and major chains from accessing the program.
According to independent estimates referenced by the campaign, early-stage tax relief of this kind could stimulate between $85 billion and $100 billion in annual economic activity nationwide. Those estimates also project the potential for 300,000 to 450,000 new jobs and renewed growth in rural towns, main street corridors and immigrant-owned business districts.
“People want to work, build and contribute—but the cost of opening a business has become impossible,” Chlebek said. “My plan unleashes local entrepreneurship and puts opportunity back into the hands of ordinary Americans.”
The tax-holiday proposal fits into a broader set of economic ideas within Chlebek’s MAGNA Agenda. Other elements include eliminating federal taxation of Social Security benefits and retirement income, abolishing property taxes through federal-state partnerships, offering no federal taxes for Americans under 23 and providing free prescription drugs for seniors, disabled residents and veterans.
Chlebek often ties his economic message to his own background as an immigrant from Poland, saying he arrived during the Cold War with limited resources and a belief in the American Dream. In the announcement, he said his proposal is designed to give today’s entrepreneurs the same opportunity.
“Entrepreneurs are not asking for special treatment—just a fair chance,” he said. “My plan gives them that chance.”
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TAGS: federal tax relief plan for new Illinois small businesses, Casey Chlebek small business tax holiday proposal, Illinois entrepreneurship support under MAGNA Agenda, seven-year tax holiday incentives for underserved communities, economic growth plan for start-ups in high-poverty Illinois areas
The recent government shutdown revealed a deeper issue beyond the nine lawmakers who voted to reopen it. Fifty Republican Senators refused to discuss healthcare solutions at all.
byDr. Julie A. Kent Guest Commentary
In the aftermath of the recent government shutdown, much of the public debate has centered on the nine lawmakers—eight Democrats and one Independent—who broke ranks and voted to end the stalemate. Their decision has drawn both criticism and defense. But focusing solely on those nine misses the larger, more troubling reality: the fifty Republican Senators who refused to engage in any serious discussion about healthcare.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was not perfect. It did not solve every problem in our healthcare system, and its subsidies and tax rebates were far from flawless mechanisms of payment. Yet the ACA undeniably expanded access to affordable care for millions of Americans. It encouraged preventive care for those who otherwise would have gone without. It made healthcare a possibility, not a luxury.
We cannot afford representatives who put party loyalty above the needs of the country.
And still, fifty Republican Senators could not bring themselves to even sit at the table to explore alternatives. They did not debate, they did not negotiate, they did not propose solutions. They simply refused. That refusal is not just political maneuvering—it is a betrayal of ordinary Americans who depend on healthcare to live, work, and thrive.
Had the nine Senators who “caved” held firm, the government would likely still be shut down. SNAP recipients would be relying on food banks. Federal employees would still be struggling to work without pay. Perhaps, eventually, the mounting human cost would have forced Republicans to acknowledge the value of healthcare. But the real condemnation belongs to those who let the shutdown drag on without addressing the root issue.
Some of these Senators will face reelection in 2026. Others will retire, leaving their seats open. Regardless, the lesson is clear: we cannot afford representatives who put party loyalty above the needs of the country. We need Senators who will speak out for their constituents, who will negotiate in good faith, who will wrestle with hard problems rather than avoid them.
Healthcare is not a partisan talking point, it is a human right.
The Senators who refused to act are holding back women, neglecting children, ignoring veterans, and indulging in self-aggrandizement at the expense of taxpayers. They coerced federal employees into working without pay rather than confronting the healthcare crisis. That is not leadership, it is abdication.
If these Senators will not wrestle with the real problems facing our nation, then voters must replace them with people who will. Midterm elections are not just another political cycle; they are an opportunity to demand accountability. Healthcare is not a partisan talking point, it is a human right. And those who refuse to recognize that truth should no longer hold the power to decide our future. Here are the Senators up for re-election in 2026 that let the American people down:
Shelley Moore Capito, West Virginia
Bill Cassidy, Louisiana
Susan Collins, Maine
John Cornyn, Texas
Tom Cotton, Arkansas
Steve Daines, Montana
Joni Ernst, Iowa
Lindsey Graham, South Carolina
Bill Hagerty, Tennessee
Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mississippi
Cynthia Lummis, Wyoming
Roger Marshall, Kansas
Mitch McConnell, Kentucky
Markwayne Mullin, Oklahoma
Pete Ricketts, Nebraska
Jim Risch, Idaho
Mike Rounds, South Dakota
Dan Sullivan, Alaska
Thom Tillis, North Carolina
Tommy Tuberville, Alabama
Dr. Julie Kent has spent over 20 years supporting simulation for US Army training. She earned a PhD from UCF and supports the Anthropology Speaker Series on campus. Dr. Kent has been championing options for healthcare since the 1970s. She lives with her husband in Baldwin Park.
TAGS: senate refusal to debate healthcare during shutdown, impact of government shutdown on healthcare access, 2026 senate elections healthcare accountability, analysis of republican senators’ healthcare inaction, consequences of stalled healthcare negotiations in congress, voter response to congressional inaction on healthcare policy
Created through the Inflation Reduction Act, IRS Direct File was used in 25 states last tax season but will not return in 2026. Critics of the cancellation also note major tax preparation companies have opposed such programs for years.
Photo: Nataliya Vaitkevich/PEXELS
by Zamone Perez Public News Service WASHINGTON, DC - The Trump administration has announced it will cancel the IRS Direct File program for the 2026 tax filing season, a move which will result in many Americans spending more time and money to file their taxes.
Last tax season, 25 states opted into Direct File after it was created by President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act in 2024. While Virginia did not enroll in the program the past two years, financial policy advocates find tax filers in the Commonwealth would have saved $500 million annually if the state did participate.
Adam Ruben, vice president of the Economic Security Project, said Direct File was valuable because tax filing software is often challenging for those who don't speak English, and cost-prohibitive for those with low income.
"The average taxpayer spends $160 and nine hours filling out their tax return," Ruben pointed out. "That’s just prohibitive for a lot of low-income families. Part of the value of Direct File would be to make tax filing simple and free, so that people don’t have to have money in their pocket in order to go out and claim those tax credits that they earn."
Trump administration officials have defended the move, claiming better free options exist for low-income filers, and private companies can do a better job for those who can pay.
One survey found nearly 75% of people who used Direct File would recommend the service to others over other tax filing options. Ruben rejected the argument Direct File costs too much to implement, highlighting how the system cut down on customer service costs and saves tax filers money.
"You’ll hear the opponents of Direct File complain about what it cost to build," Ruben observed. "But somehow, you never hear them talk about all the money that it saves for either taxpayers or for the federal government."
Direct File was also unpopular with large tax filing companies, which one analysis found spent nearly $40 million since 2006 to lobby against similar programs.
This story was produced with original reporting from Josh Israel for The Virginia Independent.
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TAGS: IRS Direct File cancellation 2026, taxpayer cost savings analysis, Economic Security Project tax policy, low-income tax filing barriers, Direct File user satisfaction data
Durbin was among 8 Democratic senators to back plan to reopen federal government. The plan angered many top Illinois Democrats such as Gov. JB Pritzker and three candidates running to replace Durbin.
by Ben Szalinski Capitol News Illinois
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin is once again at odds with other prominent Illinois Democrats over a vote that set in motion a plan to end the record-long federal government shutdown.
Durbin, who is not seeking reelection in 2026, was one of eight members in the Senate Democratic caucus to join Republicans in supporting a procedural vote to begin the process of passing legislation to fund the government, which entered its 41st day without a budget on Monday. But that package will not include health care subsidies that Democrats had demanded be included in a bill to reopen the government.
“Republicans finally woke up and realized their Groundhog Day needed to end,” Durbin said in a statement Sunday night. “This bill is not perfect, but it takes important steps to reduce their shutdown’s hurt. Not only would it fully fund SNAP for the year ahead, but it would reverse the mass firings the Trump Administration ordered throughout the shutdown.”
Senate Democrats believe they secured a promise from Senate Republican leaders to hold a Senate vote on the Affordable Care Act tax credits. The tax credits expire at the end of the year, setting the stage for health care premiums to skyrocket. Congressional Democrats have refused for more than a month to vote for any bill that did not include new health care tax credits to rein in costs.
But many of Illinois’ top Democrats are opposed to the Durbin-backed funding plan. It also marks the second time this year Durbin has found himself at odds with Gov. JB Pritzker over a Senate vote to fund the government.
Photo: Capitol News Illinois/Jerry Norwicki
Gov. JB Pritzker takes reporters’ questions outside the Illinois State Board of Elections building in Springfield on Oct. 27, 2025.
Pritzker, who is widely discussed as a possible 2028 presidential candidate, said he favors continuing to fight President Donald Trump with a government shutdown, which many Democrats believe gives their party leverage to force Republicans to support funding the ACA subsidies.
“This is not a deal — it's an empty promise,” Gov. JB Pritzker said on social media. “Trump and his Republican Congress are making healthcare more expensive for the middle class and ending it for working families. Time for Democrats to stand tall for affordable healthcare.”
Durbin also sided with Republicans in March and voted for the spending plan that kept the government open through September. That triggered outrage from many Democrats who favored shutting down the government at the time to make it harder for Trump to implement his agenda.
Pritzker said in March that Durbin’s decision was a “huge mistake,” and he was “dead wrong.”
Congressional Dems doubt leverage
The Senate’s vote on Sunday sets the stage for the chamber to pass substantive legislation to fund the government through Jan. 30, but it will require the House’s approval and Trump’s signature first. That timeline remains unclear.
CNN reported the plan would fully fund Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits through next September and reverses Trump’s firing of federal workers during the shutdown.
I lived through more than 50 attempts by Donald Trump in his first term to repeal Obamacare
Durbin said Republicans own the blame for the shutdown, adding he believes Democrats can claim victory with the vote.
“Now that Democrats secured these wins, it’s time for Leader (John) Thune to keep his promise to schedule a vote on the ACA tax credits in December, and we will see to it that he makes good on his word for the millions of Americans worried they won’t be able to afford health care in January,” Durbin said.
Many, including Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, want congressional Democrats to continue holding out for ACA tax credits.
“I simply cannot, and I will not, vote to do nothing to help protect them (families) from Trump’s vindictive and malicious efforts in exchange for a vague promise from the least trustworthy Republican party in our nation’s history,” Duckworth said in a statement after voting against the procedural vote on Sunday.
Photo: Capitol News Illinois/Jerry Norwicki
U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth speaks at the Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association brunch.
U.S. Rep. Sean Casten, a Democrat from Downers Grove, ripped Durbin and the seven other Senate Democrats who sided with Republicans. He said on social media that Democrats “trusting” Republicans on an ACA vote is like “a liar convincing a sucker.”
“A sucker for believing the lie, and for believing (House Speaker Mike) Johnson will ever bring it up in the House,” he wrote.
Candidates disagree with Durbin
The three leading Democrats running to replace Durbin are all opposed to the plan to reopen the government.
“The Republican shutdown has caused immense suffering for Illinois families, and that pain will be compounded exponentially because Democrats let the GOP off the hook,” Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton said in a statement. “While we all want to see food assistance fully funded and federal workers paid and protected, healthcare for millions of Americans cannot be the tradeoff. An empty promise is not enough.”
Stratton also publicly criticized Durbin’s vote in March.
Reps. Robin Kelly, of Lynwood, and Raja Krishnamoorthi, of Schaumburg, said they will vote against the funding plan whenever it arrives in the House.
“We will not cave to broken promises from Trump and the GOP who have sold the American people a bill of goods on so many things, but especially their access to quality healthcare,” Kelly said in a statement.
Krishnamoorthi said his red line will continue to be whether ACA credits are preserved.
“I lived through more than 50 attempts by Donald Trump in his first term to repeal Obamacare and continued statements that he’s going to gut the Affordable Care Act now,” Krishnamoorthi said in a video statement on Monday. “So I cannot in good conscious believe that all of the sudden he’s going to take actions right now to strengthen Obamacare.”
Bill signals end to flight delays, SNAP woes
Illinois has seen escalating impacts from the record government shutdown.
Photo: Capitol News Illinois/Jerry Norwicki
U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi speaks to a gathering of Democrats in Springfield on Aug. 13, 2025.
About 2 million people have been stuck in limbo this month over whether they will receive federal food benefits from SNAP. The U.S. Department of Agriculture told states last month that they would not distribute November SNAP benefits as the shutdown continued.
Whether USDA must use contingency funds to pay full benefits has been an ongoing legal battle in the federal court system since Nov. 1.
Travelers through Chicago’s airports could also see some relief when the government reopens. A growing number of air traffic controllers have called out of work after not getting paid for the last month, leading the Federal Aviation Administration last week to require airlines to cancel flights at 40 airports, including O’Hare and Midway, because of staffing shortages that cause delays to stack up.
O’Hare was one of the worst airports for delays on Sunday, according to FlightAware, with 16% of departures canceled and 53% delayed.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
A 10-mile section of Illinois Route 49 was officially dedicated as the Roger “Buzz” Busby Memorial Highway in Brocton. State Rep. Adam Niemerg sponsored the legislation recognizing Busby’s lifetime of service.
DIETERICH - A stretch of Illinois Route 49 now bears the name of a longtime Edgar County community leader, following a dedication ceremony held Saturday morning in Brocton to honor the late Merritt Roger “Buzz” Busby.
State Representative Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich), who co-sponsored the legislation in the House, said the memorial highway recognizes Busby’s decades of service to both his country and his community. “A stretch of Illinois Route 49 now carries the name of a beloved community leader and is named the Roger ‘Buzz’ Busby Memorial Highway,” Niemerg said. “I was happy to sponsor the legislation in the Illinois House of Representatives with Rep. Chris Miller last year and am pleased to recognize a man who left an indelible mark on his community.”
The dedication, held at 10:30 a.m. at the American Legion & Auxiliary – Richard Willoughby Post 977, included remarks from Niemerg’s legislative assistant, Linda Lane, as well as tributes from retired Illinois State Police officer Terry Hackett and retired Edgar County Sheriff’s deputies David Neal and Ed Motley.
Busby, a U.S. Army veteran, spent much of his career in law enforcement and child welfare, serving as a deputy sheriff and later with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. He was deeply involved in civic organizations across the region, earning him the nickname “Mr. Edgar County.”
The memorial highway stretches 10 miles from U.S. Route 36 to Illinois Route 133 along the west side of Brocton, reflecting Busby’s lifelong commitment to the people of Edgar County.
Born Oct. 21, 1940, in Danville to Edwin and Nora Busby, Buzz Busby married Karon Platson Cornwell on Oct. 31, 1992, at the Brocton Christian Church. He passed away Aug. 30, 2013, at his home.
The full text of Senate Joint Resolution 17, which established the Roger “Buzz” Busby Memorial Highway, is available here.
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TAGS: Buzz Busby, Illinois Route 49, Edgar County dedication, Adam Niemerg, Community service, Highway memorial
Community members rallied in Urbana as part of the No Kings Day movement, urging government accountability and defense of democracy.
URBANA - A sizeable crowd of protesters carried signs with messages including “End ICE Thuggery,” “Hate Will Not Make U GREAT,” and “No Kings in America” as they gathered in front of the Urbana Courthouse on Main Street. The peaceful two-hour protest drew close to 2,000 people, young and old, who demonstrated against the Trump administration’s attacks on health care, immigration policies, and the threat of using the military against American citizens.
Photos: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Protesters line Vine Street between Main and Illinois solicting honks from supporters in passing vehicles. See more photos in our photo gallery below.
Organizers said there were about 2,600 No Kings demonstrations across the country. While some government officials labeled the protests “hate America rallies,” millions of Americans marched through the streets of major cities in solidarity to show strength in numbers against a government that many feel is drifting toward authoritarianism. There were 75 such rallies scheduled to take place Saturday throughout Illinois.
While the number of rallygoers appeared smaller than the June protest in Urbana, the sentiment was the same - central Illinoisans don’t want a king. The rally’s show of unity was co-organized by the ACLU of Champaign County, ACLU of Illinois, Bend the Arc: Jewish Action Champaign-Urbana, Champaign County Democrats, Champaign-Urbana Resistance Effort (CURE), Indivisible Illinois, Indivisible Vermilion County, Illini Democrats, and Young Democratic Socialists of America.
Gabriella DalSanto, a pre-law student at the University of Illinois in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, told the assembled protesters that despite the amount of hate in the world, their individual lights continued to shine.
“Our ancestors had to fight for every single ounce of liberty and justice we are awarded today,” she said. “It is our turn to take on the fight.”
The country wouldn’t be what it is today without its melting pot of people.
Kendell Harrison, a member of Champaign County Indivisible who kicked off the series of remarks and speeches at the rally, said he was worried about the situation in today’s America.
“Even though our politicians tell us not to be worried about America, I’m worried because our nation in 2025 is still sick with racism,” he said to protesters under gray skies and comfortable fall T-shirt weather. “Just think about it - the fact that we were a nation built on a principle that all men are created equal, but yet the Supreme Court is voting right now to see if we can still have those rights.”
Harrison pointed out that America is a diverse nation of people from many races and that the country wouldn’t be what it is today without its melting pot of people from around the world.
“America, be true to what you put on paper,” he said, alluding to the statement in Declaration of Independence. “And let my people grow.”
Urbana's October 'No Kings' photo gallery
Here's 20 more photos from the Urbana 'No Kings' rally by photographer Clark Brooks.
Photos: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Inflatable costumes were a popular to Saturday's No Kings protest in Urbana. The costumes were first used in Portland, Oregon, protests and now have become mainstream additions in an effort to keep tensions lower and draw attention without violence.
A protestor shouts at cars pass through the intersection at Main and Vine street in Urbana. While all most two thousand assembeled in Urbana for the national protest, Springfield reportedly had nearly the same number of people at the Abraham Lincoln statue in front of the Illinois Capitol, lining the sidewalks and lawns fronting the Illinois Supreme Court building and the Illinois State Library.
Marchers walk a long Illinois Street near Lincoln Square Mall on Saturday. Forecasted showers held off until after the No Kings protest ended.
LEFT: Tracey Dougan gives the opening remarks at the No Kings protest. CENTER: Protesters applaud during speeches by guest speakers. RIGHT: Protesters young and old brought signs to wave.
Hundreds of protesters gather in front of the Champaign County Courthouse. Around the state Illinois citizens came together for peaceful protests against masked and unidentified agents detaining people, the targeting of journalists, and immigration raids targeting adults and American citizens.
LEFT:Despite a serious threat to the American way of life, protesters found a way to take away the fear through laughter. CENTER: Gabriella DalSanto gives brief remarks at the beginning of the protest. She told the audience, "I understand if your patriotism is shakened right now. The state of our nation is bleak. Our tax dollars are being used for power grabs and authoritarian rule." RIGHT: A man holds a sign with a quote from J.D. Vance that reads, "Trump is America's Hitler".
LEFT: This was the second major No Kings event since Donald Trump was sworn in as the the 47th president. Organizers mobilized around 2,000 protests across the country in June with an estimated 5 million people marching nationwide. While not a King, Trump was convicted of 34 counts of First-degree falsifying business records. CENTER: A rally-goer records a speaker during the early part of the protest. RIGHT: As with June's protest, the sound system was sufficient enough for everyone to hear invited guest speakers. Thirty to forty people lined up along Vine Street in Urbana to give public support to the cause. According to research by Harvard, no government, with one exception of the 2011 Bahrain Uprising, have withstood 3.5% of its population mobilizing against it.
A protester records a moment during the protest's march along the streets around Lincoln Square Mall and the courthouse. Meanwhile in Chicago, the big sister protest enjoyed a procession that was an estimated 2 miles long, start to finish.
LEFT: A woman holds an "I Love America" sign. Republican politicians and talking heads, fearing the 50501 Movements increasing popularity, labeled the demonstrations as "Hate America Rallies". One needed to talk to one or two participants to get a sense of how far of the GOP messaging strayed. CENTER: A couple of hip hippos walk hand-in-hand at the start of the protest march down Main St. in Urbana. RIGHT: A demonstrator carried two signs on trek through the streets of Urbana. The protest was an opportunity for CU residents who believe the Trump administration is needlessly destroying the country they love to come together in solidarity.
LEFT: Popular right-wing social media platforms were beside themselves after the rallies, pointing out that attendance across the nation was overwhelming white baby-boomers. In Urbana, demonstrators of all ages and generations were equally represented. CENTER: The rallies around the country were about more than Trump's dictatorship aspirations, but more about protecting free speech, putting a spotlight on the crackdown on immigration, and weighing in on lawmakers’ government funding discussions. RIGHT: Demonstrators elicited honks from drivers passing them on Vine Street.
Urbana No Kings protest, Illinois civil rights rallies, Champaign County activism, No Kings Day of Action Urbana, democracy protests Illinois
Dear Editor,
Illinois lawmakers have once again chosen left-wing ideology over integrity by embracing Governor J.B. Pritzker’s amendatory veto to the so-called Equality for Every Family Act, HB 2568. Despite its pleasant-sounding title, this legislation redefines what it means to be a mother, father, and family — not to promote equality, but to erase the natural and moral distinctions that God Himself ordained.
The act deliberately severs parenthood from biology, marriage, and Judeo-Christian tradition. It treats children as commodities and family formation as a contractual arrangement, rather than a sacred trust grounded in the union of one man and one woman. By rewriting the Parentage and Gestational Surrogacy Acts, lawmakers have paved the way for state-sanctioned confusion — replacing natural law and parental responsibility with government-imposed definitions — new constructs — rooted in radical gender ideology.
Children have a God-given inherent right — not merely a preference — to be known, loved, and raised by their biological mother and father whenever possible. This truth will never be outdated; it is foundational to human flourishing and social stability. By blurring those God-given roles, Illinois continues its descent into moral chaos, undermining both parental rights and the best interests of children.
True equality is not achieved by denying reality or redefining the family. It is found in upholding truth, honoring motherhood and fatherhood, and protecting the vulnerable — especially children — from the experimental social agendas of adults.
David E. Smith, Executive Director
Illinois Family Institute
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TAGS: Union of one man and one woman, Children have a God-given rights, Judeo-Christian tradition, Sentinel Letter to the Editor, ordained natural and moral distinctions, Sentinel opinion-editorial page
Trump’s war against “the enemy within” is grounded in lies. Meanwhile, military leaders told to "go along or get out".
byPeter Montgomery OtherWords
A recent gathering at the Pentagon was extraordinary. Not in a good way.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered hundreds of generals and other officers to leave their posts all over the world. He demanded loyalty to the new “culture” he’s imposing on the armed forces. His message: go along or get out.
Hegseth railed against safeguards that protect service members from abuse and hold people accountable for wrongdoing. He mocked “stupid” and “politically correct” rules of engagement. “You kill people and break things for a living,” he said.
“We unleash overwhelming and punishing violence on the enemy,” Hegseth said.
These comments became far more alarming when President Donald Trump took the stage and made it clear who he sees as the enemy. Trump told military leaders that he’s sending them to war against “the enemy within.”
U.S. citizens, immigrants with legal status, and children have been among those detained in increasingly brazen and aggressive encounters...
So the “punishing violence” that Hegseth demands is to be deployed against people here at home. More specifically, Trump said the military should use American cities as “training grounds,” saying, “That’s a war too. It’s a war from within.”
Here’s what that war looked like in Chicago recently: federal agents rappelling from a Black Hawk helicopter onto an apartment building in the middle of the night, border patrol agents breaking into apartments and allegedly zip-tying young children (though DHS denies they were zip-tied), detaining American citizens, and leaving people’s apartments and belongings trashed.
It wasn’t an isolated incident. The Washington Post reported that “U.S. citizens, immigrants with legal status, and children have been among those detained in increasingly brazen and aggressive encounters which pop up daily across neighborhoods in the city of 2.7 million and its many suburbs.”
Trump’s war against “the enemy within” is grounded in lies.
Deployment of the military against American citizens is a frightening abuse of power...
The president and his colleagues have been falsely claiming that Portland, Oregon, is “war-ravaged” and “burning to the ground.” That claim was apparently based on a five-year-old video the president saw on Fox TV. Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden responded by posting a current video of people peacefully enjoying a beautiful fall day in Portland.
The Trump team’s lying would be laughable if it weren’t propaganda with a deadly purpose.
Fortunately, a federal judge — a Trump appointee — blocked Trump’s plans to federalize National Guard troops and send them into Portland, saying there are no conditions on the ground that could justify it. For defending the rule of law, the judge was savagely criticized by the White House.
On top of all of this, Trump has repeatedly violated the foundational military tradition of nonpartisanship. Speaking to cadets at a recent event honoring the Navy’s 250th anniversary, Trump declared, “We have to take care of this little gnat that’s on our shoulder called the Democrats.” As one commenter noted, Trump basically told the Navy to view half of the country as the enemy.
That’s dangerous. And it’s un-American.
People sometimes interpret Trump’s unhinged rhetoric as a strategy to distract people from other stories. It’s worse than that.
I’m sure the president would like people to ignore that he shut down the federal government to preserve tax cuts for the richest 1 percent while forcing millions of families to face huge increases for health insurance or lose their coverage completely.
But Trump’s “enemy within” is more than a distraction. It is even more than a violent threat against millions of our fellow Americans. It’s promotion for a war the president is already waging — one that’s been denounced by retired generals and veterans.
The unjustifiable deployment of the military against American citizens is a frightening abuse of power that should alarm Republicans and independents as well as Democrats. The Constitution can protect all of us only if we defend the Constitution.
Peter Montgomery is a Senior Fellow at People for the American Way. This op-ed was distributed by OtherWords.org.
TAGS: Trump's unhinged rhetoric, foundational military tradition, border patrol agents breaking into apartments, gathering at the Pentagon
Pritzker blasts “Trump’s Invasion” after federalizing Illinois National Guard for deployment in Chicago.
CHICAGO - President Donald Trump authorized the federalization of 300 Illinois National Guard troops to protect federal officers and assets in Chicago this weekend, escalating his administration’s use of federal intervention in American cities.
U.S. District Judge April Perry declined to immediately block the deployment today but urged federal officials to delay sending troops until Thursday, when she will hear arguments in a lawsuit filed by the State of Illinois and the city of Chicago challenging the move.
The White House said the deployment is needed to safeguard federal immigration agents and facilities following recent clashes with protesters. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and other Democratic leaders warned that the action would inflame tensions rather than calm them.
“We must now start calling this what it is: Trump’s Invasion,” Pritzker said in a statement Sunday night. “It started with federal agents, it will soon include deploying federalized members of the Illinois National Guard against our wishes, and it will now involve sending in another state’s military troops.”
An Illinois official confirmed to ABC News that the Pentagon had authorized the mission. The Guard will require several days to mobilize and train, with the first troops possibly arriving in Chicago by the end of the week.
The memo from the Pentagon to the Illinois National Guard adjutant general read:
"On October 4, 2025, the President of the United States called forth at least 300 National Guard personnel into Federal service pursuant to section 12406 of title 10, U.S. Code, to protect U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Federal Protective Service, and other U.S. government personnel who are performing Federal functions, including the enforcement of Federal law, and to protect Federal property, at locations where violent demonstrations against these functions are occurring or are likely to occur based on current threat assessments and planned operations.
"This memorandum further implements the President's direction. Up to 300 members of the Illinois National Guard will be called into Federal service effective immediately for a period of 60 days. The Chief of the National Guard Bureau will immediately coordinate the details of the mobilization with you, in coordination with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Commander, U.S. Northem Command. The mobilized Service members will be under the command and control of the Commander, U.S. Northern Command."
The Trump administration also plans to send members of the Texas National Guard after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem requested additional support to protect federal immigration officers and facilities, including the Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing center in Broadview, a Chicago suburb that has seen repeated clashes between ICE agents and demonstrators.
A similar mobilization of 200 National Guard troops in Oregon was temporarily blocked Sunday after a federal judge found Trump was likely overstepping his legal authority in responding to relatively small protests near a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland.
The League of Women Voters of Illinois and the League of Women Voters of the United States issued a stern statement rebuking the President's move to send in troops to escalate tensions between Illinois and the Trump administration.
"Illinoisans will not be bullied into submission by acquiescing to warrantless attacks on our citizens nor to inhumane treatment of our neighbors and family members. We have no interest in federal troops descending on our neighborhoods to impose terror in our streets simply as a show of power," the League wrote, representing over 800 local and state organizations. "The League strongly condemns the deployment of National Guard troops to Chicago and every other American city without cause."
Tags: Trump federalizes Illinois National Guard, Chicago federal deployment controversy, J.B. Pritzker Trump clash, federal troops Chicago protests, Illinois Guard lawsuit
St. Joseph-Ogden will host eight central Illinois programs for the Country Financial Girls Basketball Shootout on Saturday. Pl...
On This Day
Discover the headlines published on each of these days from our news and sports coverage from Champaign‑Urbana and the wider community. From local news and sports to community events, politics, and opinion pieces, The Sentinel archives capture the stories that shaped life in Champaign County year after year.
Peter Montgomery is a Senior Fellow at People for the American Way. This op-ed was distributed by OtherWords.org.
