Federal Response: Illinois National Guard on Notice

Tue Oct 21 2025 02:08:56 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Governor Pritzker reacts to Trump administration's plans to deploy 300 Illinois National Guard members amidst heightened tension over federal intervention.

The Trump administration's decision to federalize 300 Illinois National Guard members has sparked outrage from Governor JB Pritzker, who condemned the move as an 'un-American' ultimatum. The deployment has raised concerns about federal law enforcement's increasing presence in cities like Chicago, following similar actions in Baltimore and Memphis. Pritzker criticized the federal initiative, suggesting it's about control rather than safety, and emphasized the impact on the Guard members' families and jobs.

The Trump administration plans to federalize 300 members of the Illinois National Guard, Democratic Governor JB Pritzker said Saturday.

Pritzker announced that the guard received word from the Pentagon that the troops would be called up. Although he did not specify when or where they would be sent, President Trump has hinted at previously sending troops to Chicago.

“This morning, the Trump Administration’s Department of War gave me an ultimatum: call up your troops, or we will,” Pritzker stated. He added that it's outrageous for a Governor to be forced to deploy military troops within their own state.

This call to federalization follows a pattern of federal responses observed in other cities, including Baltimore and Memphis, raising concerns about increased federal presence.

Pritzker termed the federal action a 'manufactured performance' aimed at diverting Illinois National Guard troops from their essential duties and family lives.

Pritzker emphasized that this isn't about safety but rather control, and insisted collaboration among state, county, and local law enforcement remained crucial.

Amid protests near the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Chicago, 13 individuals were arrested, indicating rising tensions over the federal administration's immigration policies.

With the federalization of the National Guard in Illinois and other states, the implications of such moves continue to spark debate over the role of local versus federal authority.