Trump administration faces setback as US Supreme Court blocks National Guard deployment in Illinois

Washington (The Uttam Hindu): The US Supreme Court has blocked President Donald Trump’s move to deploy the National Guard in the state of Illinois, delivering a significant setback to the administration. According to agency reports, the court rejected the government’s request by a 6–3 vote. In an order published on its website, the court stated that “at this preliminary stage, the government has not identified any source of authority that permits the military to enforce laws in Illinois.”

The dispute dates back to 4 October, when President Trump ordered 300 members of the Illinois National Guard to be placed in active federal service, particularly in Chicago and nearby areas. The following day, members of the Texas National Guard were also reportedly federalised and sent to Chicago.

On 9 October, the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois issued a temporary restraining order, halting both the federal activation and deployment of the National Guard in the state. This decision was upheld on 16 October by the Seventh Circuit US Court of Appeals, which allowed federal activation but barred actual deployment. The Trump administration then appealed to the Supreme Court, which has now refused to intervene.

Reacting to the ruling, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said the President had activated the National Guard to “protect federal law enforcement officers and ensure that rioters do not damage federal buildings and property.”

Illinois’ Democratic Governor JB Pritzker, along with the Democratic Mayor of Chicago, had strongly opposed the deployment. Welcoming the Supreme Court’s decision, Pritzker called it “a major victory for Illinois and American democracy.”