CHICAGO (WLS) — There is growing resistance to President Donald Trump’s possible plan to send National Guard troops to Chicago.
Governor JB Pritzker and Illinois’ Attorney General Kwame Raoul will hold a news conference Monday to speak out against any deployment.
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ABC News confirmed that planning is underway, but no official decision has been made.
Mayor Brandon Johnson mentions he has not received any communication from the White House, despite several reports suggesting that the Trump administration has been preparing to deploy National Guard troops to Chicago for weeks.
A spokesperson from the Pentagon stated, “We will not make predictions about potential operations. The Department is an organization focused on planning and works continuously with other agency partners to develop strategies for protecting federal assets and personnel.”
The conservative group “Chicago Flips Red” expressed that even though CPD data indicates a decrease in crime, many citizens still feel unsafe and are in favor of the National Guard’s presence.
Zoe Leigh from Chicago Flips Red stated, “There’s an overwhelming amount of crime, and implementing some form of law and order is necessary. If this administration, including Mayor Johnson’s, can’t address the issue, then we do need the National Guard.”
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“Brave men and women who signed up to serve our country did not sign up to occupy American cities,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said.
Despite threats of military intervention, the White House does not have the same authority over cities beyond Washington, D.C.
When the president calls troops up without the governor’s permission, the guard is limited to protecting federal buildings and personnel.
Governor JB Pritzker released a statement saying, “Donald Trump is trying to create a crisis, politicize the dedicated Americans in uniform, and continue misusing his authority to divert attention from the hardship he is imposing on working families.”
Mayor Johnson is also vowing legal action if a deployment occurs, but it’s unclear if the courts would block such a move.
Weeks after the National Guard was sent to Los Angeles, a judge has yet to rule on California’s lawsuit.
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