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Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, a Republican and chairman of the National Governors Association, criticized the deployment of Texas National Guard troops to Illinois, calling it a violation of federalist principles and states’ rights.

“We believe in the federalist system — that’s states’ rights,” Stitt said during an interview with The New York Times on Thursday,  “Oklahomans would lose their mind if Pritzker in Illinois sent troops down to Oklahoma during the Biden administration.”

Stitt Warns of a Dangerous Precedent

The deployment, authorized by Texas Governor Greg Abbott , aimed to support immigration enforcement in Chicago, but drew opposition from Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker. Stitt expressed concern about the precedent, stating, “As a federalist believer, one governor against another governor, I don’t think that’s the right way to approach this.”

“As a federalist believer, one governor against another governor, I don’t think that’s the right way to approach this.”

While Stitt said he supported Trump’s agenda to maintain “law and order” in cities like Chicago and Portland, he suggested the Illinois deployment should have been handled differently. “Trump should have moved to federalize the troops in Illinois first,” he said.

Shared History but Different Views

Stitt noted that he and Abbott had previously opposed federal vaccine and mask mandates during the pandemic. “Abbott and I sued the Biden administration when the shoe was on the other foot and the Biden administration was trying to force us to vaccinate all of our soldiers and force masks across the country,” Stitt said.

Though he hadn’t yet discussed the issue with Abbott, Stitt said they shared a good relationship, “I would send troops to the southern border on his request, anytime he wanted them, and I know he would do the same for me.”

Abbott and Stitt are scheduled to meet this weekend in Dallas, to watch a football game between the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas.

At the interview, he clarified that his comments represent his own views, and not the National Governors Association’s (NGA) position. 

The NGA has not made any announcement regarding the Texas deployment, despite pressure from Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and California Governor Gavin Newsom, who have threatened to leave the association if it fails to oppose the move.