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President Donald Trump escalated his war of words with two top Illinois Democrats on Wednesday, saying in a Truth Social post that Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gov. JB Pritzker “should be in jail” for opposing his administration’s deployment of federalized National Guard troops to the state.
“Chicago Mayor should be in jail for failing to protect ICE officers! Governor Pritzker also!” Trump wrote, amplifying his ongoing clash with state and local leaders over immigration enforcement and urban crime.
The remarks came one day after Texas National Guard troops arrived in Illinois, part of the White House’s push to deploy forces in several Democratic-led states over protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. Both Pritzker and Johnson have condemned the move as unconstitutional federal overreach.
Pritzker, in a post to X, vowed not to be intimidated: “Trump is now calling for the arrest of elected representatives checking his power. What else is left on the path to full-blown authoritarianism?”
Johnson struck a similar tone in a statement to CNN, saying, “This is not the first time Trump has tried to have a Black man unjustly arrested. I’m not going anywhere.”
Illinois sued the federal government Monday in an attempt to block Trump’s troop deployment to Chicago. A federal judge has scheduled a hearing for Thursday but declined to issue a temporary restraining order that would have halted the operation.
The White House defended the deployment, claiming it was necessary to “protect federal assets and personnel” and to prevent “attacks on law enforcement.” The administration first sent troops to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., over the objections of local officials after clashes between immigration agents and protesters.
In Chicago, Johnson signed an executive order declaring the city an “ICE Free Zone,” blocking immigration agents from using city property for enforcement operations. “We will not tolerate ICE agents violating our residents’ constitutional rights,” Johnson said in a statement.
Trump’s feud with Illinois leaders has deepened as both Pritzker and Johnson have emerged as outspoken critics of his presidency. Over the weekend, Pritzker said the president “should be removed from office” under the 25th Amendment, calling him “genuinely unfit to serve.”
Trump’s attack on Wednesday also echoes his history of targeting political opponents with threats of prosecution. He has previously called for criminal investigations into former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
When asked by NBC News whether he agreed that Pritzker and Johnson should be jailed, House Speaker Mike Johnson declined to say. “I’m not the attorney general,” he said. “I’m trying to manage the chaos here.”
For now, the standoff between the White House and Illinois officials is likely to intensify, with courts weighing the limits of federal power over state-controlled National Guard units and local law enforcement.
