Former US President Barack Obama has warned that the increasing use of the US military on American soil is putting the liberties of all Americans at risk.In a social media post, Obama said that the erosion of basic principles like due process should concern Democrats and Republicans alike.‘Trump building paramilitary answerable to him’He also shared a New York Times Opinion interview on the Trump administration’s growing comfort in wielding federal and local law enforcement to conduct its sweeping campaign of arrests against immigrants and criminals, and whether it indicates a slide into authoritarianism.The erosion of basic principles like due process and the expanding use of our military on domestic soil puts the liberties of all Americans at risk, and should concern democrats and republicans alike.— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 28, 2025The column, ‘Trump is building his own paramilitary force’ argued that “Trump is creating crisis and disorder so he can build what he has wanted to build: an authoritarian state, a military or a paramilitary that answers only to him — that puts him in total control.”Trump’s National Guard threatThis comes at a time when Trump’s use of the National Guard to control crime in Washington, DC and his threat to deploy federal troops in Chicago have raised serious concerns.On deploying the National Guard in Chicago, Trump has justified his decision by painting a bleak picture of crime in the US’s third-largest city, calling it a “disaster”.Chicago’s crime rate is improvingChicago has long had a reputation as a city with an elevated crime rate, particularly around gun violence. According to Reuters, there have been 1,229 shootings so far this year, including a high-profile drive-by shooting in July targeting a rap artist.However, the city has made marked progress since the end of the pandemic, according to Chicago crime data. Fatal shootings fell 36 per cent from January 1 through August 25 compared to the same period a year ago. Its July homicide rate of 1.66 per 100,000 residents ranks it below Washington, New Orleans, Kansas City and Little Rock, Arkansas, among other cities.Story continues below this adMeanwhile, the possible deployment of the National Guard in Chicago has divided opinions.While some locals have expressed support for Trump’s decision, many in the heavily Democratic-voting city are appalled.Some community group leaders who work in Chicago neighbourhoods most affected by violent crime said the presence of National Guard troops could undermine efforts to build trust.Governor opposes National Guard deploymentOn Wednesday, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker reiterated his position on National Guard deployment in Chicago, saying the city doesn’t need or want military intervention to fight crime and added that sending in the National Guard could only escalate problems.Story continues below this ad“We want to make sure and show off that there’s no emergency happening in Chicago,” Pritzker told The Associated Press.“We’ve been fighting crime. We’ve been trying to prevent crime and it’s been working,” he said.