Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker requested the Joint Chiefs of Employees to present assurances to all the states and their governors concerning the particular steps being taken to guard nationwide safety within the wake of the current use of the Sign messaging app by members of President Donald Trump’s administration to debate delicate international coverage plans.
The Democratic governor despatched a letter on Monday to performing Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Employees Christopher Grady – obtained solely by ABC Information – asking that he intervene on behalf of service members’ security.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker speaks on the Middle for American Progress on March 18, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Photographs
Pritzker mentioned he was reaching out as he is “misplaced religion” within the skill of Secretary of Protection Pete Hegseth, one of many key members of the Sign incident, to “preserve the integrity of our nationwide protection operations.”
“I’m reaching out to you as our nation’s highest-ranking navy officer as I’ve misplaced religion within the skill of the Secretary of Protection to maintain service members protected and preserve the integrity of our nationwide protection operations,” Pritzker wrote within the letter.
The governor’s workplace didn’t touch upon the letter in response to a request from ABC Information.
“Please element the precise steps the federal authorities will take to reign in harmful and egregious habits that compromises nationwide safety, and the steps it can take to make sure that applicable, protected channels, strategies, and protocols are used to guard categorised data and safe communications,” Pritzker additionally requested.
He mentioned he is in search of this data whereas maintaining in thoughts the practically 13,000 navy personnel serving within the Illinois Nationwide Guard.
“The Secretary’s carelessness not solely put the lives of the pilots executing the operation in danger, nevertheless it put the lives of troops around the globe on the road – together with service members from the Illinois Nationwide Guard,” Pritzker wrote.
“At the moment, over 1,700 Illinois Nationwide Guard members are deployed on federal active-duty service by directive of the President, so I can not not stand by silent as their lives are put in danger,” he added.
Pritzker, who has been on the forefront of pushing again in opposition to Trump and his insurance policies amongst Democrats nationwide, just lately returned from a four-day journey to Mexico that was meant to spice up financial partnerships between it and Illinois.
ABC Information has reached out to Grady’s workplace for a response to Pritzker’s letter.