Members of the National Guard stand guard at Union Station in Washington, D.C., the United States, on Aug. 22, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

U.S. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said Saturday that despite his repeated rejections of federal mobilization to Chicago, President Donald Trump will send in 300 National Guardsmen.

Pritzker said on social media that the Trump administration gave him an ultimatum: "call up your troops, or we will."

"In the coming hours, the Trump Administration intends to federalize 300 members of the Illinois National Guard," the governor said.

"Amidst ongoing violent riots and lawlessness, that local leaders like Pritzker have refused to step in to quell, President Trump has authorized 300 National Guardsmen to protect federal officers and assets," White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement issued on Saturday.

Pritzker's comments about the National Guard being federalized came amid continued clashes between immigration authorities and protesters in the Chicago area.

On Saturday morning, law enforcement patrolling in Chicago shot an unidentified "armed U.S. citizen" who was allegedly on Homeland Security's radar, according to Noem.

Protests broke out in the city on Saturday, and armed border patrol agents deployed what appeared to be chemical irritants toward protesters.

Over the last month, Trump has threatened to send the National Guard into several cities, particularly Democratic-run ones, to curb crime and bolster immigration enforcement agents.

He already deployed the National Guard to Washington, D.C. in August.