During the annual turkey pardon event at the White House, President Trump made comments about Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s weight, calling the state a “big, fat slob.” He criticized the governor for not deploying federal troops to tackle the escalating crime issues in Chicago.
After pardoning this year’s turkeys, named Waddle and Gobble, in the revamped Rose Garden, Trump shifted his focus to his political opponents, singling out Pritzker with sharp jabs.
Trump held Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson responsible for a recent arson attack on a 26-year-old woman on a Chicago train, pointing out their failure to seek federal help.
“The mayor is incompetent, and the governor is…a big, fat slob,” Trump said, pausing humorously mid-sentence.
He urged that Pritzker should request federal assistance to make Chicago safer, warning that without action, the city risks losing its greatness.
Almost immediately, Trump adopted a comedic tone, poking fun at Pritzker for the state’s anti-crime measures.
“I looked into different cases and thought about how to approach them. There was even a little Pritzker joke,” he mentioned, but then pivoted, expressing frustration over Pritzker’s reluctance to let federal agents do their work.
He said, “There’s a cute Pritzker joke out there. Some speechwriter had a laugh about his weight, but I won’t talk about that. I’m not one to comment on someone’s size.” However, Trump humorously acknowledged his own weight issues, saying, “I also want to lose a few pounds. But I’m not doing that on Thanksgiving!”
This wasn’t the first time Trump referenced Pritzker’s weight; back in August, he suggested that Democrats should hit the gym more often. Pritzker responded the following day, implying that insight comes with experience.
