Pritzker Criticizes Trump over TSA Funding, National Guard Deployment Proposal (Chicago, IL) – Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is pushing back against President Donald Trump’s proposal to deploy National Guard troops to airports, arguing the federal government should instead fully fund Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers.
In a statement released Thursday, Pritzker criticized Trump’s suggestion, made on social media, to use National Guard personnel at airports rather than provide funding for TSA employees. The governor said such a move would shift costs onto taxpayers while disrupting airport operations.
“Pulling National Guard members from their families, jobs, and communities to make a political statement is wrong, and doing so while refusing to pay TSA workers is indefensible,” Pritzker said. “Federalizing the National Guard will cause confusion for travelers, intimidate and deter tourists, and waste taxpayer dollars.”
The governor also raised concerns about federal overreach, reiterating his opposition to deploying military forces within state borders without a governor’s consent. He pointed to a past legal battle, Trump v. Illinois, in which the U.S. Supreme Court blocked an effort to deploy National Guard troops in the state.
Pritzker noted that governors from both political parties have historically defended their authority over state National Guard units, emphasizing the importance of maintaining control to ensure readiness and respond to local needs.
The debate comes amid broader concerns about the potential cost of such deployments. According to the Congressional Budget Office, a previous federal deployment in Illinois cost approximately $25 million, with troops largely remaining on base due to legal challenges. Nationwide, similar deployments across six cities in 2025 cost nearly $500 million.
Pritzker argued those figures highlight the financial burden such policies could place on taxpayers, especially if used in place of funding existing federal airport security operations.
Pritzker Criticizes Trump over TSA Funding, National Guard Deployment Proposal
