Illinois Governor JB Pritzker condemns President Trump’s decision to deploy 400 National Guard troops to Illinois and Oregon, calling it an “invasion.” The controversial move has sparked political debates and legal battles.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s recent move to deploy National Guard troops to Illinois, calling it an “invasion” of the state. This follows Trump’s previous military orders in Washington, D.C., to address crime and homelessness, which were widely controversial.
In August, Trump sent military troops to the streets of Washington, D.C., to tackle increasing crime rates and homelessness. He later suggested in September that Chicago would be next, warning that the city would “find out why it’s called the Department of WAR” in reference to his rebranding of the Department of Defense.
In a recent address to military leaders, President Trump described Democrat-led cities as “very unsafe places” and stated that his administration was committed to “straightening them out one by one.” He also claimed that these cities were embroiled in a “war from within” and cited immigration as a national security threat.
“We should use some of these dangerous cities as training grounds for our military—National Guard, but our military—because we’re going into Chicago very soon,” Trump said, adding that Chicago was a “big city with an incompetent governor.”
Governor Pritzker responded strongly, condemning the deployment of 400 Texas National Guard troops to Illinois and Oregon, aimed at tackling anti-ICE protests and crime. Pritzker took to Twitter to express his disapproval, calling the federal move “Trump’s Invasion.” He pointed out that no one from the federal government had contacted him directly to discuss or coordinate the deployment.
Pritzker wrote: “We must now start calling this what it is: Trump’s Invasion. No officials from the federal government called me directly to discuss or coordinate.”
He continued by saying that the National Guard’s deployment started with federal agents and would soon include the Illinois National Guard, without the state’s consent. Pritzker urged Texas Governor Greg Abbott to withdraw his support for the deployment, stating that no president should send military troops into a state without the state’s knowledge or approval.
Meanwhile, in Oregon, a court ruling blocked the deployment of National Guard troops to Portland. Judge Karin Immergut temporarily halted the federal government’s plan to send California National Guard units to the city. Governor Gavin Newsom of California condemned the move, calling it a misuse of power and law.
Oregon’s Governor Tina Kotek echoed the concerns, asserting that there was no need for military intervention in Portland, as the situation did not constitute an insurrection or threat to national security.
Trump’s focus has been on liberal-led states, and he has made provocative statements about cities like Portland and Chicago. He previously referred to Chicago as “the world’s most dangerous city” and claimed Portland was “burning to the ground.”
Governor Pritzker has called on Governor Abbott to refuse to cooperate with the deployment and to ensure that National Guard troops are not used as political tools. “This is a moment where every American must speak up and help stop this madness,” he added.
Texas Governor Abbott responded to Pritzker’s criticism on Twitter, stating: “You can either fully enforce protection for federal employees or get out of the way and let Texas Guard do it.”
As tensions rise over the deployment, legal battles continue to unfold, with states pushing back against what they see as an overreach of federal power.
