SAN FRANCISCO, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Oregon State Governor Kate Brown said Thursday that she would defy President Donald Trump's plan to send U.S. National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexican border.

"I do not want our Oregon National Guardsmen and women to be used as political pawns," Brown told local media on Thursday.

Oregon TV outlet KATU2 reported that Trump "has not asked for National Guardsmen and women from Oregon, but she's promising to say 'no' if he does."

Trump signed a memorandum on Wednesday to deploy the National Guard to the southwest border, after days of calling for more border security.

The defense secretary "shall request use of National Guard personnel" to secure the border and the homeland security secretary will work with him to train and direct the troops in that mission, he said in the memo.

"The security of the United States is imperiled by a drastic surge of illegal activity on the southern border," Trump said.

Brown criticized the president for his poor handling of state affairs, saying, "This administration is governing via chaos and incompetence. It must stop."

"This is just something that the president reeled off to distract from the problems he's having in Washington, D.C.," she added.