International Desk In a significant legal setback for President Donald Trump, the United States Supreme Court has blocked his administration’s effort to deploy National Guard troops on the streets of Chicago, Illinois.
The court, in an unsigned order on Tuesday, kept in place a lower court’s injunction against the deployment. The majority stated that the government had “failed to identify a source of authority that would allow the military to execute the laws in Illinois” at this preliminary stage.
Three conservative justices—Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Neil Gorsuch—dissented from the decision.
A Clash Over Federal Power
The ruling is part of an ongoing legal battle between the Republican president and Democratic-led states and cities over the domestic use of military forces for immigration enforcement and riot control.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson defended the President’s agenda, stating the Guard was activated “to protect federal law enforcement officers” and ensure rioters did not destroy federal property, adding that “nothing in today’s ruling detracts from that core agenda.”
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, a Democrat who strongly opposed the deployment alongside Chicago’s mayor, hailed the ruling as a “big win for Illinois and American democracy,” calling it a step in curbing the administration’s “abuse of power.”
This marks a rare defeat for President Trump at the conservative-majority Supreme Court. The decision leaves approximately 300 National Guard troops in the Chicago area in an activated but non-operational status, while similar legal challenges proceed in other states like California and Oregon.
—
Disclaimer:
This report is based on international news agency reports and official court documents. The legal and political situation regarding domestic military deployments in the United States remains subject to ongoing litigation. CDA News Nigeria is an independent digital news platform.
© 2025 CDA News Nigeria. All rights reserved.
