Illinois is adding more National Guard troops to assist police in keeping the peace during continued demonstrations across the state the same day the president pushed for governors to do more.
The peaceful protests that have turned into rioting and looting across the country were because of George Floyd’s death while in Minneapolis police custody.
On Monday, after the president spoke on a call with the nation’s governors, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said President Donald Trump wants to see states like Illinois increase the numbers of National Guard members to assist in quelling the violence.
“They have quite clearly, many of them, failed to do their job,” she said. “Look at the scenes we have seen and it’s gotten to the point where today the president has said ‘enough is enough, there are tools I can use.’ ”
McEnany didn’t rule out the president using the Insurrection Act to use the military to address lawlessness, insurrection and rebellion if governors can’t get control of the situation.
Pritzker on Monday afternoon said in consultation with local officials, he added to the 375 guardsmen he announced over the weekend.
“We have now called up and additional 250 members of the Illinois National Guard to be ready to assist other cities across the state who have seen a surge of destructive action, notably looting,” Pritzker said.
In addition to the increased National Guard presence, there is a network of local law enforcement that share resources where needed, the governor said. He also issued emergencies in nine counties including Cook, Sangamon and Champaign. Other counties included in the disaster proclamation were DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Macon, Madison and Will.
Riots weren’t only isolated to Chicago on Sunday night into early Monday morning, there were also reports of violence in Rockford, Peoria, Champaign, Urbana, Springfield and elsewhere throughout the state with communities bracing for more into Tuesday.
Pritzker announced during an afternoon news conference that he called out the president during the phone call on Monday, saying the president’s rhetoric was fanning the flames.
“Look at the words that the president has put out on Twitter, look at the words that he says when he talks about total domination, I don’t want to dominate peaceful protesters who have legitimate grievances,” Pritzker said.
McEnany said one of the president’s messages Pritzker referenced has been taken out of context.
“The president very clearly laid out what he meant by that tweet, that ‘looting leads to shooting’ and we have seen the unfortunate killing of one person in Minneapolis,” McEnany said. “There were seven people shot outside St. Louis in riots a few nights ago.”
