Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., said on X that "Forcing the military, uninvited, into Chicago to intimidate Americans in their own communities does not make our nation stronger."
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat, also said Monday that the move is "unconstitutional" and "un-American."
"Donald Trump wants to use the military to occupy a U.S. city, punish its dissidents and score political points," Pritzker said. "If this were happening in any other country, we would have no trouble calling it what it is — a dangerous power grab."
Meanwhile, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said that crime is down in Chicago. Specifically, he said the city in the past year has reduced homicides by more than 30%, robberies by 35% and shootings by almost 40%.
TRUMP'S WEEK SHAPED BY CRIME AGENDA, POTENTIAL GUARD DEPLOYMENT TO CHICAGO
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks to reporters in front of Trump Tower in Chicago as he denounces a potential plan by the Trump administration to deploy National Guard troops to the city. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
"Everybody knows Chicago is a hellhole right now," Trump said at a Tuesday Cabinet meeting. "Everybody knows."
National Guard troops are reserve forces that are tapped to address state and federal operations, including natural disasters. While most are typically overseen by state governments, the federal government oversees the District of Columbia National Guard. However, Trump controversially deployed California National Guard troops to Los Angeles in response to immigration riots there in June — bypassing California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Newsom, a Democrat, ultimately filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for federalizing the National Guard to respond to those riots, and labeled the move an "unmistakable step toward authoritarianism."
Diana Stancy is a politics reporter with Fox News Digital covering the White House.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/illinois-democrat-leaders-blast-trump-push-send-national-guard-chicago