On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump stated that the governor of Illinois and the mayor of Chicago deserve to be jailed for opposing the deployment of National Guard troops as part of his campaign against illegal immigration and crime in the country’s third-largest city. Both officials confirmed they would not back down.

The Republican president’s comment came in a social media post, marking the latest example of his outspoken calls to prosecute or imprison his Democratic opponents, breaking previous norms where the Department of Justice traditionally maintained independence from the White House.

Trump wrote on Truth Social: “Mayor Brandon Johnson and Governor J.B. Pritzker should be in jail for failing to protect immigration officers!” referring to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

It was not immediately clear what exactly Trump was objecting to.

Johnson responded in a post on X: “This is not the first time Trump has tried to wrongfully arrest a Black man. I will not back down.” Pritzker also said on X: “I will not back down. Trump is now calling for the arrest of elected representatives who check his power. What is left on the road to full authoritarianism?”

When asked about the crimes the president believed Pritzker and Johnson committed, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson failed to specify any but said their “hands are stained with blood,” citing Chicago police reports of at least five people killed and 25 shot over the weekend.

Jackson added: “Instead of taking action to stop crime, these two Trump-hating maniacs prefer to let the violence continue and attack the president for wanting to help make their city safe again.”

National Guard troops from Texas are stationed outside Chicago despite lawsuits filed by the state and city to block the deployment.

The mission of the troops was unclear, but the Trump administration is conducting a tough immigration enforcement operation in Chicago.