Illinois Governor JB Pritzker (D) is aiming to boost his national profile by attacking President Donald Trump’s effort to crack down on violent crime across the country.
Pritzker, who is rumored to be a 2028 presidential contender, has escalated his attacks on Trump, calling the president a “wannabe dictator” and threatening to take the administration to court if they bring troops to his state.
Democrats say it’s a moment for Pritzker to highlight his political gravitas against would-be 2028 competitors like California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has garnered media attention for taking on Trump.
“A lot of people will be watching how he handles this moment,” one Democrat strategist told The Hill. “It could either position him as the fighter Democrats want, or he could be perceived as Newsom-lite or someone who shouldn’t be thinking about running for president at all.”
Democratic strategist Eddie Vale added that Pritzker “is in a situation right now where doing the right thing to help people is also good politics” while Trump is “trying to start a fire of hatred.”
On Monday, the Department of Homeland Security launched “Operation Midway Blitz,” an immigration crackdown targeting Chicago. Trump said the Chicago effort’s aim was to help people as he accused Pritzker of refusing help from the federal government.
“What is wrong with this guy?” Trump wrote on the social media platform Truth Social.
Pritzker shot back, “’I want to help people, not hurt them,’ says the guy who just threatened an American city with the Department of War.”
Of Operation Midway Blitz, Pritzker said in a post on X: “Once again, this isn’t about fighting crime. That requires support and coordination — yet we’ve experienced nothing like that over the past several weeks.”
“Instead of taking steps to work with us on public safety, the Trump Administration’s focused on scaring Illinoisans.”
A spokesperson for Pritzker said the White House had not officially notified the governor’s office about the operation.
“Like the public and the press, we are learning of their operations through their social media as they attempt to produce a reality television show,” spokesperson Matt Hill said. “Unlike Trump’s reality show, we don’t like keeping people in the dark.”
During a press conference late last month, Pritzker acknowledged that while crime in Chicago was a problem, Trump and Republican lawmakers made matters worse with a string of federal funding cuts that hurt cities.
“Trump is defunding the police,” Pritzker said.
Pritzker has been overshadowed nationally so far by Newsom, who has moved up in Democratic presidential polls while aggressively going after Trump. An Emerson survey out last month showed Newsom with 25 percent support to Pritzker’s 4 percent.
In an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press last month, Pritzker waffled about whether he will run for president. (RELATED: Illinois’ Billionaire Governor Urges ‘Mass Resistance’ Against Federal Government)
“I can’t rule anything out,” Pritzker told the show’s moderator Kristen Welker. “But what I can rule in is that no matter what decisions I make, and I mean in particular about what I do here in the state of Illinois, is about the people of Illinois.”
“Indeed, any future decisions of mine will always be guided by that,” he added.
Still, the National Guard fight has positioned Pritzker well should he decide to run for president.
“He definitely raised his profile and could be in the conversation for president, but he’s not perceived to have those ambitions to the level of, say, Newsom,” said Basil Smikle, a Democrat strategist. “On the one hand, he and Newsom need these high-profile standoffs to maintain public interest.”
“On the other hand,” he added, “the nature of these battles is something no one wants to see.”
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Our governor, Jabba, so named after the Star Wars character because of similarity in girth and looks, is committing treason by doing what he is doing. The mayor is doing the same. I hope charges are filed soon, and justice is quick.