President Trump Monday threatened to order National Guard troops to Chicago in a widening crackdown on big cities that started with Washington, D.C. — and Democratic leaders pushed back.

Trump sang the praises of surging military troops into the streets of the nation’s capital and threatened to expand the operation to Chicago and beyond during a White House ceremony where he signed several executive orders aimed at battling crime.

“We can go anywhere on 24 hours notice,” Trump said.

“We want to go on to other places,” Trump added. “Chicago, Illinois, is a disaster….Chicago is a killing field.”

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker countered that there is no pressing need for troops or other federal law enforcement, especially with crime down sharply in Chicago and other cities nationwide.

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