U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the deployment of 300 National Guardsmen to Chicago, defying objections from Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, who accused the administration of overreach.

Pritzker said on social media that the White House had issued him an ultimatum: “Call up your troops, or we will.” He added that the Trump administration planned to federalize 300 members of the Illinois National Guard without state approval.

According to White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson, the decision was made to protect “federal officers and assets amidst ongoing violent riots and lawlessness” that local authorities allegedly failed to control. The move comes as clashes continue between immigration authorities and protesters in the Chicago area.

On Saturday morning, law enforcement officers reportedly shot an armed U.S. citizen under Homeland Security’s surveillance, sparking widespread protests. Border patrol agents later deployed what appeared to be chemical irritants to disperse crowds, according to local reports.

The deployment is part of Trump’s broader effort to assert federal authority in Democrat-led cities, citing rising crime and immigration concerns. In recent months, the administration has sent National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., and threatened similar actions in other states.

Meanwhile, tensions between the federal government and Democratic governors have deepened after the administration froze $2.1 billion in infrastructure funding for Chicago, citing alleged “race-based contracting” violations. The Department of Transportation has placed several city projects under review.

Similar funding freezes have hit New York and other Democratic-led states, with billions of dollars in federal grants suspended pending review.

Governor Pritzker called the deployment “unnecessary and unconstitutional,” accusing the Trump administration of politicizing federal power ahead of the 2025 elections.