Governor Pritzker’s Critique of President Trump

During an appearance on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Illinois Governor JB Pritzker addressed President Donald Trump’s intentions regarding the 2026 elections, suggesting he aims to influence or halt them.

In a discussion with host Ed O’Keefe, Pritzker expressed concern over Trump’s militaristic approach. O’Keefe inquired about the potential implications if Trump were to deploy troops to major cities without request, specifically referencing Los Angeles.

Pritzker responded, emphasizing that Trump’s actions go beyond mere crime fighting. He described this as a concerning attack from the President against the American populace. While acknowledging that some individuals may not support Trump, he asserted that sending troops to enforce order is inappropriate. He noted that despite the presence of troops in certain red states that supported Trump, those regions still do not experience crime rates on par with Chicago.

O’Keefe pressed for clarification on Pritzker’s assertion regarding Trump’s ‘other purposes,’ to which Pritzker responded that one of these aims appears to be the suspension or control of the 2026 elections. He criticized Trump’s rhetoric about election-related issues, suggesting that it may serve to justify a military presence, which he feels undermines state sovereignty under the 10th Amendment. He further explained that while states maintain sovereignty, the National Guard should operate under state control, not federal directives, recalling historical instances when federal troops were deployed for specific enforcement scenarios.