Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Monday on X that the Lone Star State’s elite National Guard units are deploying “now” after receiving a request to help protect federal property. 

In the brief post, Abbott wrote, “The elite Texas National Guard. Ever ready. Deploying now.” 

The short but commanding message underlines the governor’s confidence in the state’s ability and willingness to act in defense of the nation.

Texas officials say the deployment is being coordinated with the White House’s plans to reinforce security in several cities that have seen spikes in protests targeting federal facilities, including Chicago and Portland.

PRITZKER SAYS TRUMP ORDERING 400 MEMBERS OF THE TEXAS NATIONAL GUARD TO ILLINOIS, OREGON AND OTHER LOCATIONS

President Donald Trump called for the additional support from cooperating states, saying that the troops would “protect federal workers and property from escalating threats.”

Democratic governors, however, are pushing back. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker called the move “an invasion,” and Oregon officials are seeking to block deployments through court orders.

“It started with federal agents. It will soon include deploying federalized members of the Illinois National Guard against our wishes, and it will now involve sending in another state’s military troops,” Pritzker said.

CHICAGO ANTI-ICE PROTESTERS BLOCK VEHICLES, GET HIT WITH TEAR GAS AND PEPPER BALLS

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott defended Trump’s decision, writing on X that he had “fully authorized the President to call up 400 members of the Texas National Guard to ensure safety for federal officials.”

He added that federal and state leaders must “either fully enforce protection for federal employees or get out of the way and let the Texas Guard do it,” while praising the Guard’s “training, skill and expertise.”

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker criticized President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy 400 Texas National Guard troops to Illinois and Oregon. (Getty Images)

Legal challenges are continuing in some states, but in Texas, officials say they are ready. 

Abbott’s post has received millions of views within hours and struck a chord with supporters praising his decisive leadership.

As legal battles play out, the governor’s message remains simple: “Ever ready.”

A prominent Arizona drag queen has been arrested and charged with having sex with a 13-year-old boy whom he met via a dating application, according to a report. 

Michael Browder, 35, a drag performer known as Aubrey Ghalichi who has appeared at Phoenix Pride Festival, allegedly admitted having sex with the teen and told investigators he said he thought the boy was 18 or 19, according to court documents cited by ABC15.

The 13-year-old told investigators he posed as an 18-year-old on an online dating application and arranged for two adult men to meet him for sex at different times, according to court documents.  

CONVICTED MINNESOTA SEX OFFENDER, 22, ACCUSED OF POSING AS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT ON FOOTBALL TEAM

The boy told police he didn’t know the identities of the two men he met online, but investigators recovered one of the chats from his laptop and identified Browder as “a known Phoenix drag queen,” according to court records.

Browder was interviewed by Phoenix police on Sept. 16 when he allegedly admitted to meeting and having sex with the victim, telling police that he was under the impression the victim was 18 or 19 years old.

Browder said it was dark in the victim’s apartment “to the point that he was unable to ascertain the victim’s age,” per court records. 

Michael Browder, a Phoenix drag performer who goes by Aubrey Ghalichi, was arrested in September and charged with two counts of sexual conduct with a minor, according to court records. (Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office)

VENEZUELAN MAN POSING AS TEEN IN OHIO HIGH SCHOOL PLEADS GUILTY

He has been charged with two counts of sexual conduct with a minor and was released on a $10,000 bond under conditions requiring GPS monitoring and prohibiting contact with children.

Browder’s attorney told Fox News Digital that she would not be commenting on the case.

Police have not identified or charged the second man the boy mentioned. 

Phoenix Pride has removed Browder from its upcoming festival lineup later this month.

Organizers said the alleged crime is “reprehensible and entirely contrary to what Phoenix Pride stands for.”

Phoenix Pride Festival in Phoenix on Oct. 22, 2023. (Nicole Mullen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK)

“Out of respect for our community and in alignment with our values, Phoenix Pride has removed Aubrey Ghalichi from this year’s event lineup,” the event’s organizers said via a statement.

“It is important to emphasize that this individual has not been convicted of a crime. Their removal is based solely on the information currently available to us and our responsibility to ensure a safe and affirming environment for our community.”

An Oklahoma State University student leader says he was reprimanded by a university employee after delivering a speech honoring slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Josh Wilson, a junior who serves in the Senate for OSU’s Student Government Association (SGA), spoke during a Sept. 10 SGA meeting, shortly after Turning Point USA founder was shot and killed in Utah. According to comments first reported by conservative think tank the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA), Wilson acknowledged Kirk’s impact on campus debate and free speech.

Wilson, who also serves as president of the OSU Debate Society and previously volunteered with Turning Point USA, said Kirk’s visit to campus in April “provoke[d] discussion and dialogue among countless students on this campus” and students were engaging in conversations about culture and politics “like never before.”

During the Sept. 10 meeting, Wilson described Kirk as “a father, a husband, a devout Christian, and a shining light for so many,” and urged students to “carry forward his legacy by refusing to shy away from difficult conversations, by standing firm in our convictions, and by remembering that true progress begins with dialogue.”

‘FEARLESS’ TOUR TAKES CHARLIE KIRK’S FREE SPEECH MISSION TO COLLEGES NATIONWIDE

Wilson said he wore a Turning Point USA hat that Kirk had given him during his April visit to his campus. The hat displayed the numbers “45” and “47,” a reference to President Donald Trump.

According to the report, Wilson did not mention Trump or endorse a political party or candidate for election during his speech.

He told Fox News Digital that the speech was well received, with students applauding and several reaching out afterward to express their appreciation for his remarks.

The following week, Wilson said he was called into a meeting with Melisa Echols, OSU’s coordinator of student government programs. According to OCPA, Echols told him the hat violated student government’s nonpartisan rules and that some people could be “triggered” by it.

“As a person who doesn’t look like you and has not had the same lived experience as you, I have family who don’t look like you who are triggered — and I will be very candid with you — who are triggered by those hats and by that side,” Echols said, according to OCPA’s report and an audio recording it obtained.

UNIVERSITIES CRACK DOWN ON EMPLOYEE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS CELEBRATING, DEFENDING KIRK’S DEATH

An Oklahoma State staff employee reportedly told a student leader his pro-Trump hat during a Charlie Kirk tribute was partisan and could “trigger” others. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

She added, “I would challenge you to ask others who don’t look like you” and “have open conversations with anyone that has a different lived experience and see what, if anything, that might do for someone else, aside from someone who is politically aligned the same as you.”

Wilson said that he reminded Echols he has Cherokee heritage and regularly interacts with people from diverse backgrounds.

“I don’t like to pull that card,” he told the OCPA, “but if you’re going to pull that card on me, I might as well.”

Wilson told Echols that he didn’t believe it was harmful or partisan given the context of his speech. He said that he was standing up for freedom of expression on campus.

“Any student in general should have the liberty and not show any fear of expressing their thoughts and ideas,” he told Echols, according to the report. “[I]dea and conversation is what built this country, and it’s what should maintain it. And that’s what the hat was there for.”

COLLEGES WARNED NOT TO INVOKE CHARLIE KIRK’S DEATH TO SILENCE FREE SPEECH, UNFAIRLY HIKE SECURITY COSTS

According to the recording, Echols rejected Wilson’s argument, telling him, “‘But’ cannot be the end of every statement. That’s not a learned lesson. It cannot just be, ‘yes, but’ — cannot be every response that you give me. Otherwise, this year is going to be difficult for you.”

Wilson told OCPA he viewed that remark as “a veiled threat.”

Echols did not respond to Fox News Digital‘s request for comment.

Wilson told Fox News Digital he hopes students will feel comfortable expressing their views openly on campus without fear of backlash.

“I just hope that in and outside of student government, our community can come together and just discuss things again, instead of feeling threatened by one another… like Charlie’s mission was set out to do,” he said.

Oklahoma State University Vice President of Student Affairs Brent Marsh issued the following statement emphasizing the school’s commitment to free expression.

“The position of Oklahoma State University on freedom of speech is unchanged and crystal clear: All OSU students have the right to speak their minds on all of our campuses,” the statement began.

“Our Student Government Association is a democratically elected body where students represent their peers, share their ideas, debate proposals and work toward solutions. That process only works when every voice can be heard without fear or restriction. Protecting free expression is fundamental to who we are as a university. The student who recently raised concerns exercised these very rights when he, along with another senator, shared their personal thoughts during the September SGA meeting, which occurred on the same day as the tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk. These senators spoke without interruption, just as it should be.”

“All staff charged with supporting student groups have received direct clarification about our policies and our unwavering commitment to free speech and our expectation that every student can fully express themselves.”

Kirk, 31, had just launched his “American Comeback Tour” at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10 and was answering questions when he was shot and killed. A suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was arrested for the murder last month.

Kirk’s assassination has sparked a renewed interest in campus debate, with Turning Point USA saying it has received more than 120,000 new chapter requests.