JB Pritzker’s ego could cost Illinois
Since Nov. 5, 2024, President Trump and Governor JB Pritzker have been on two different paths.
President Trump immediately got to work for the American people, talking to world leaders, signing executive orders and playing an instrumental role in freeing hostages in Israel who were held for over 400 days by Hamas terrorists, including American citizens. Meanwhile, Gov. Pritzker has been on a different journey — doing everything he can to be seen as the anti-Trump hero of the left. No matter the issue, Pritzker has sought his 15 minutes of fame in the spotlight at the expense of Illinois families.
Pritzker’s obsession with building his national profile and preparing for a 2028 presidential run puts the Prairie State at serious risk. Instead of working to address the pressing issues facing hardworking families, such as skyrocketing taxes or the mass exodus of businesses, Pritzker has decided his top, and really only, priority is waging war against Trump.
Pritzker’s ego-driven actions have continuously hurt Illinois. His relentless attacks on the Trump administration have alienated federal partners, jeopardized critical funding opportunities and left Illinois taxpayers holding the bag. Pritzker’s refusal to cooperate with Washington has turned Illinois into a battleground for his selfish political ambitions.
Just look at immigration enforcement. A large majority of the American people believe that we need to remove illegal immigrants from our country, particularly the gang members, terrorists, rapists and murderers who are infiltrating our communities. On Day One in office, the Trump administration began targeted raids against these criminals while Pritzker threw a fit, siding with criminals instead of Illinois families.
In his own words, Pritzker declared that he would “stand in the way” of Trump’s immigration policies and said that he wants millions of illegal immigrants to have a path to citizenship in the United States. In its first raid in Chicago, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents captured nine Tren de Aragua terrorists, seven sexual predators who committed crimes against children and two murderers.
These are the kind of people that JB Pritzker’s policies protects.
It’s no secret that Pritzker views Illinois as a stepping stone in his ultimate goal — the White House. In 2022, Pritzker traveled to New Hampshire to raise his profile and set up a future presidential run and when Democrats kicked Joe Biden off the Democrat ticket, Pritzker refused to deny rumors that he was interested in becoming the Democrat nominee. When Kamala Harris was announced as the Democrats' preferred choice, Pritzker launched a full-court campaign to become her vice president. Now, he’s already preparing for 2028 and thinks the best way to do that is fighting with Trump.
While Pritzker focuses on himself and his political future, Illinois is struggling. The Prairie State is drowning in debt, our pension system is teetering on the brink of collapse and businesses are fleeing to neighboring states with more favorable economic climates. Instead of addressing these crises, Pritzker is focused on virtue signaling to his base and scoring cheap political points against Trump.
It’s time to demand accountability from JB Pritzker and end the reckless governance that has made Illinois a cautionary tale for the rest of the country. Illinois needs real leadership — not another career politician auditioning for his next job.
• Kathy Salvi, of Mundelein, is chairwoman of the Illinois Republican Party.