Illinois Leaders Push Back as Trump Threatens Troop Deployment to Chicago

CHICAGO, Aug. 25, 2025 (AP) - Governor J.B. Pritzker joined Mayor Brandon Johnson and Attorney General Kwame Raoul today to condemn President Donald Trump’s reported plans to send National Guard and possibly active-duty troops to Chicago. The gathering in downtown Chicago came after a Washington Post report that the Pentagon has been preparing for a large-scale deployment as early as September, citing concerns over crime, homelessness and immigration.

At a 3 p.m. CDT news conference, Pritzker declared that Illinois “has received no request from the federal government asking if we need assistance, nor have we sought it,” and insisted “there is no emergency that warrants federalizing the Illinois National Guard, deploying the Guard from other states, or sending active-duty military within our borders.” He accused the president of “manufacturing a crisis” to distract from the struggles facing working families.

Mayor Johnson underscored the city’s improving public-safety metrics, noting a 31 percent reduction in murders and a 36 percent drop in shootings compared with last year. He characterized the president’s proposal as political theater, asserting that “the Guard is not necessary” and “those who enlisted to serve our nation did not do so to occupy American cities”.

President Trump, speaking from the Oval Office Monday morning, labeled Chicago “a disaster” and derided Pritzker as “corrupt” and “incompetent.” He signed an executive order directing federal agencies to identify jurisdictions that have eliminated cash bail and consider suspending funding for them, naming Illinois among those targeted. Trump has previously deployed National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles over the past year despite opposition from local leaders.

In addition to Pritzker and Johnson, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth issued statements condemning the threat as “purely political theater” and “deeply troubling,” respectively, warning that domestic troop deployments would undermine both civil-military relations and national security.

As the state braces for potential legal battles, Governor Pritzker vowed to “stand up for Illinois’ sovereignty” and explore every option to block any unauthorized deployment. City and state officials said they will continue pursuing bipartisan solutions-such as increased mental-health resources and community violence intervention programs-that have driven historic crime declines in Chicago over the past two years.

Key Developments Today, Aug. 25

• Governor Pritzker, Mayor Johnson and AG Raoul hold joint press conference opposing troop deployment.
• President Trump signs executive order targeting cash bail policies, referencing Illinois.
• Chicago recorded a 31 percent drop in murders and a 36 percent decline in shootings year-over-year.
• Illinois U.S. Senators Durbin and Duckworth denounce White House threats as federal overreach.

Illinois officials are scheduled to meet with state and federal legal advisers tomorrow to prepare for potential court challenges. Federal military planners have not responded publicly to the statements from Springfield and Chicago.