Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has publicly condemned President Donald Trump’s recent statement regarding the deployment of the National Guard to Chicago to address violence, labeling it an attempt to ‘manufacture a crisis’ and highlighting an abuse of power.
In a statement released on Saturday, Pritzker asserted that ensuring the safety of Illinois residents is his utmost priority. He emphasized that there is no existing emergency that justifies the federal government’s action of federalizing the Illinois National Guard or sending additional military personnel within the state’s borders.
This response came shortly after President Trump’s remarks, in which he outlined plans to send the National Guard to Chicago as part of a broader initiative to curb violence in major U.S. cities. Trump’s comments followed his visit to troops in Washington D.C., where he described his actions as efforts to ‘rescue our nation’s capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor.’
Pritzker further criticized Trump’s motivations, claiming that the President is politicizing the military and distracting the nation from the difficulties faced by American families today. He pointed out that Illinois has not received any formal request for federal assistance, nor has the state asked for federal intervention.
‘We will continue to uphold state sovereignty and prioritize the protection of our citizens,’ said Pritzker, reaffirming his commitment to follow the law.
President Trump’s comments included a stark critique of Chicago’s leadership, as he referred to the city’s mayor as ‘grossly incompetent.’ He suggested that he was receiving requests from politicians in various cities, expressing a desire for his intervention to combat crime. Trump hinted that Chicago might be the next location for federal action, stating, ‘Chicago is a mess. You have an incompetent mayor, and we’ll straighten that one out probably next.’
This isn’t the first time Trump has indicated a willingness to send the National Guard to Chicago, previously linking the city’s crime to the state’s ‘no cash bail’ policy and calling out the violence in Democratic-led cities. However, he has notably avoided mentioning cities with high crime rates in states led by Republicans.
On the same day, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson expressed serious concerns regarding Trump’s remarks, indicating that the city had not yet received any formal communication about potential military deployments. Johnson emphasized that any unlawful deployment of the National Guard could exacerbate existing tensions between the community and law enforcement, undermining efforts to build trust and safety within neighborhoods.
‘An unlawful deployment would destabilize our city and threaten our public safety initiatives,’ Johnson stated, advocating for resources to support anti-violence programs instead of military intervention.
The legal implications of sending troops to Chicago remain under scrutiny, with Governor Pritzker and legal experts pointing to the Posse Comitatus Act, instituted after the Civil War, which restricts military involvement in domestic law enforcement. Pritzker asserted that Trump does not possess the legal authority to deploy troops in this manner.
In response to Trump’s plans, the Army stated that should the National Guard be deployed, they would operate under Title 32, which allows for the mobilization of the National Guard by either governors or the President under specific circumstances.
Meanwhile, in Washington D.C., Trump stated through social media that he is contemplating a ‘complete and total Federal takeover,’ and has already taken control of the local police department for a thirty-day period, a timeline that could extend with congressional approval.
Despite the claims of a crime crisis, statistics indicate that crime rates in Washington D.C. have been declining, leading to an investigation by the U.S. attorney regarding the accuracy of reported crime figures. Trump has publicly denounced Mayor Muriel Bowser for what he describes as misleading crime statistics.
As discussions around the National Guard’s deployment continue, nearly 2,000 National Guard members are currently stationed in D.C., with additional troops arriving from several Republican-led states. While the Pentagon has assured that deployed troops would not carry weapons, it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold in Chicago and the implications it may have for local governance.
Overall, Pritzker’s and Johnson’s responses highlight a strong sentiment of opposition against the federal military intervention in urban law enforcement, emphasizing the need for community-focused strategies rather than military solutions in addressing public safety challenges.
image source from：nbcchicago
