'Not political pawns': Pritzker, veterans slam Trump's Chicago Guard plan

'Not political pawns': Pritzker, veterans slam Trump's Chicago Guard plan

A group of retired admirals, generals and service members said the president should not deploy the National Guard against the governor’s wishes. They also voiced opposition to the militarization of immigration enforcement in Chicago.

CHICAGO - The Trump administration’s effort to deploy National Guard troops was halted last week by a federal judge.

On Thursday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker met with military leaders and blamed the president for what he called the militarization of Chicago.

What we know:

A group of retired admirals, generals and service members said the president should not deploy the National Guard against the governor’s wishes. They also voiced opposition to the militarization of immigration enforcement in Chicago.

The veterans are part of a nonprofit, nonpartisan group called National Security Leaders for America. Among them is former Illinois National Guard Commander Bill Enyart, who said he believes the president is using Guard members as political theater.

"Our National Guard members joined and served to defend our nation, to respond to natural disasters. They are not policemen. They are not political pawns," Enyart said. 

Enyart also said he is alarmed that federal ICE and Customs and Border Protection agents have been appearing in camouflage with masks and weapons, perhaps to make the public believe they are military personnel.

"It offends me as a soldier that we have ICE agents pretending to be soldiers. They're not soldiers… and it's a smirch on the National Guard's reputation that they are wearing the same uniform that we are," Enyart said. 

Pritzker said he convened the retired military leaders to counter what he described as President Trump and top aide Stephen Miller’s plans to establish a military presence in Chicago for political intimidation.

"This is intentional. Chaos, confusion and destabilization are the means. Eroding our Democratic institutions is his end goal," Pritzker said.

What's next:

Pritzker also addressed reports that he declared $1.4 million in gambling winnings on his income tax return.

He said he won the money while on vacation with his wife in Las Vegas, adding that poker is one of his hobbies.

The governor said he has since donated the winnings to charity.