Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker pushed back Monday on President Donald Trump’s threat to deploy the National Guard to the state.
“What President Trump is doing is unprecedented and unwarranted,” Pritzker said at a news conference. “It is illegal. It is unconstitutional. It is un-American.”
Trump on Monday described Chicago as a “killing field” while signing executive orders aimed at ending cashless bail and banning flag burning.
“Chicago is a disaster,” Trump said. “The governor of Illinois should say, ‘President, will you do us the honor of cleaning up our city. We need help.’”
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Pritzker claimed Trump is manufacturing a crisis and noted that neither he nor Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson had been contacted by the White House about working together.
"Let me be perfectly clear, our work to make our city safer still continues," Johnson said. "And while we have made progress, that doesn't mean that we will rest."
Pritzker pointed out that murders, shootings, robberies and burglaries are all down year over year.
“Mr. President, do not come to Chicago,” Pritzker said. “You are neither wanted here nor needed here.”
Federal law allows a president to deploy the National Guard under certain circumstances, but many Democrats argue that the legal threshold for such action has not been met.
Pritzker added that he would take legal action, if necessary, to prevent U.S. military forces from patrolling the streets of Chicago.
