(The Center Square) – Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker praised as a “win” a U.S. Supreme Court ruling temporarily preventing President Donald Trump from deploying the National Guard in Chicago, but Republicans and legal scholars say the court could have given Trump an opening to deploy other forces.
“I am glad the Supreme Court has ruled that Donald Trump did not have the authority to deploy the federalized guard in Illinois,” Pritzker said in a statement. “This is an important step in curbing the Trump Administration’s consistent abuse of power and slowing Trump’s march toward authoritarianism.”
The Supreme Court last week blocked Trump from sending federalized National Guard troops to Illinois, which Pritzker called a check on executive overreach.
In an appearance on Fox News, former Bush administration official John Yoo warned the ruling may not mean what Democrats think.
“The statute says the president has to be unable to enforce the law with regular forces,” Yoo said. “The Supreme Court now says regular forces means you have to try with the regular armed forces first before you can bring out the National Guard.”
Yoo said the ruling could force the president to deploy active-duty troops like the Marines or 82nd Airborne, not just the National Guard. Republicans, including state Rep. Adam Niemerg, R-Dietrich, Republican spokesperson for the House Immigration and Human Rights Committee, said Trump should use every tool at his disposal.
“Any means that he can use to restore safety and security to Chicago, I fully support,” Niemerg told The Center Square. “J.B. Pritzker claiming victory while Illinois, especially Chicago, lacks safety and security is nothing to celebrate. Trump wanted the National Guard in Chicago for a reason: there are too many deaths every weekend.
Niemerg pointed to Illinois policies such as the SAFE-T Act, the elimination of cash bail, and sanctuary state and city laws as contributing to what he described as “mass chaos” in Chicago.
“Whether Marines, the National Guard, whatever is needed to restore safety, he should use them,” Niemerg said. “Kids and families should be able to walk down the Magnificent Mile, shop during the holiday season, and not feel scared.”
Niemerg also criticized Pritzker, saying he prioritizes political ambitions over public safety.
“Governor Pritzker would use this [Trump deploying ‘regular forces’] as a political weapon for his presidential run. He puts the safety and security of Illinois citizens last,” Niemerg said.
There has been widespread speculation that Pritzker will seek the Democratic nomination for president in 2028.
In a statement, Pritzker said communities should not have to live in fear of masked federal agents demanding identification, profiling residents based on appearance or language, or the possibility of the president deploying the military in their neighborhoods.
Yoo warned that the Supreme Court’s ruling is preliminary and could still be overturned when the case is fully considered.
“I think a governor would rather have National Guard troops than the 82nd Airborne and the Marine Corps patrolling the streets of Chicago,” Yoo said on Fox News.
