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Rep. Krishnamoorthi moves to block Trump’s military deployment in Chicago
The Stop Trump’s Abuse of Power Act would bar any president from deploying the National Guard into states without a governor’s request.
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Malvika Choudhary - Thu, 11, Sep 2025
- 14:02 EDT
- 14
Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi / REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
Indian American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois introduced a measure aimed at restricting presidential authority to deploy the National Guard without state approval.
The proposal, titled "Stop Trump's Abuse of Power," amends the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to prohibit any president from federalizing the National Guard or deploying active-duty military into a state or territory without a formal request from its elected leadership.
Also Read: Rep. Krishnamoorthi slams Trump’s Chicago immigration raid plan
The move follows President Donald Trump’s repeated threats to send troops into Chicago after already deploying forces to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Krishnamoorthi filed the measure alongside Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11).
The lawmakers said the amendment is designed to safeguard constitutional checks and balances and prevent the use of military force in domestic political disputes.
Krishnamoorthi, who has sharply criticized Trump’s actions, said the deployments are not justified by any emergency. “There is no emergency in Illinois that warrants federalizing our National Guard or deploying active-duty troops into our communities,” he said in a statement, adding that such actions “will do nothing but spark chaos and create spectacle.”
At a press conference, the democrat emphasized that the legislation seeks to preserve democratic norms and local authority. “In order to place National Guard troops in any jurisdiction, there must be the consent of the chief executive officer of that jurisdiction — in this case the governor or the mayor. It cannot be just deployed at the president’s whim,” he said.
He added that the Guard, composed of citizens pulled from their everyday lives, “cannot be used as the president’s paramilitary force, cannot be used as the president’s secret police, cannot be used in a way inconsistent with either the law or the Constitution.”
Trump has repeatedly threatened to send the National Guard into Chicago, citing crime and immigration. Last month he posted an image on social media depicting Chicago as a battlefield, prompting Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker to denounce him as a “wannabe dictator.” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has also said there is no basis for such a deployment and pledged to oppose it.
Earlier, Trump sent troops into Los Angeles without a state request, a move that has already been challenged in court. A federal judge in California ruled that the use of the military in Los Angeles violated the Posse Comitatus Act, which limits the use of the armed forces for domestic law enforcement.
The threats have drawn national attention because violent crime in Chicago, though still politically contentious, has declined in 2025, reflecting trends across several U.S. cities.
Critics argue that Trump’s calls for military intervention amount to political theater rather than public safety policy. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found that most Americans are uneasy with the idea of presidents using the military as a domestic policing tool.
The amendment will now proceed to the House Rules Committee, which will determine whether it advances for a floor vote.
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