Trump calls up 300 National Guard members after feud with Illinois governor
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Pritzker speaks after touring the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago on Sept. 9. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images
President Trump called up 300 National Guard members in Illinois after an escalation Saturday between his administration and the state's governor, JB Pritzker.
The big picture: The governor said the Trump administration's War Department presented him with an ultimatum earlier in the day: "'call up your troops, or we will.'"
The other side: White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson alleged "violent riots and lawlessness" were happening and said Trump authorized the National Guard "to protect federal officers and assets."
Zoom in: Both the governor and Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary in the Department of Homeland Security, reported an incident in Chicago involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
- McLaughlin said in a tweet "law enforcement officers were rammed by vehicles and boxed in by 10 cars" in Broadview, the Chicago suburb where protesters and ICE have faced off at a detention facility.
Yes, but: Chicago police confirmed the incident was not in Broadview but the 3900 block of S. Kedzie Avenue on city's southwest side.
- "CPD responded to the scene to document the incident. CPD officers were also on-scene to maintain safety and traffic control for all living and working in the area. CPD is not involved in the incident or its investigation. Federal authorities are investigating this shooting," police said in a statement.
- Axios has reached out to DHS for more details on the alleged incident.
Zoom out: Pritzker also pointed to an incident on Friday, sharing on X that "Kristi Noem's and Greg Bovino's masked agents threw chemical agents near an elementary school, arrested elected officials exercising their First Amendment rights, and raided a Wal-Mart."
- Pritzker alleged in a thread of X posts that "None of it was in pursuit of justice."
- "I want to be clear: there is no need for military troops on the ground in the State of Illinois," Pritzker said.
State of play: Illinois Democratic representatives are planning to speak out Sunday about an ICE raid Tuesday night at an apartment building in the South Shore neighborhood on the South Side, where officers reportedly zip-tied residents, including children.
- Pritzker has directed state agencies to investigate the incident and contact families that may have been affected.
- "If [the Department of Children and Family Services] receives allegations of suspected abuse or neglect by federal agents, the state will take formal steps to pursue every possible avenue to ensure the safety and well-being of children, including collaborating with local law enforcement as necessary," the governor said in a statement.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with a White House statement.
