A group of Democratic governors gathered Friday to denounce President Donald Trump’s efforts to deploy National Guard troops to cities across the country.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek met virtually as Trump’s plans to place troops in Chicago and Portland faced legal hurdles in court.

“This is unprecedented in modern American history,” Newsom said in a video of their discussion posted to X. “This is, dare I say, a constitutional crisis.”

“This is not what Americans want to see,” Kotek added. “They don’t want to see their citizen soldiers in the streets of American cities.”

Both Kotek and Pritzker have disputed Trump’s claims that federal troops are needed in Portland and Chicago to quell protests aimed at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and facilities.

“The only invasion or mayhem that’s occurring is because of the Trump administration,” Pritzker said. “We had ICE agents rappelling out of a military helicopter. They were targeting a few people, but 130 people had their doors broken down, their windows broken, everything was ransacked.”

U.S. District Judge April Perry on Thursday halted the White House’s plan to deploy the Guard in Chicago, suggesting ICE agents had provoked tensions in Illinois’ largest city. That same day, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals signaled that it was skeptical of Oregon’s assertion that President Trump did not have the authority to deploy National Guard troops to Portland.

“Amidst ongoing violent riots and lawlessness, that local leaders like Pritzker have refused to step in to quell, President Trump has exercised his lawful authority to protect federal officers and assets,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement. “President Trump will not turn a blind eye to the lawlessness plaguing American cities and we expect to be vindicated by a higher court.”

Trump previously sent troops to Los Angeles, and has attempted to send the California National Guard into Portland over objections from Newsom.

“This is a time for us to partner,” Newsom told Pritzker and Kotek, “and a time for us to really raise the red flag of alarm about what’s really going on in this country.”

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.