Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker delivered a fiery defense of his record after former President Donald Trump claimed both he and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson “should be in jail.” The accusation followed a tense confrontation between federal immigration agents and protesters outside an ICE facility near Chicago—an incident that quickly escalated into a national flashpoint.
Appearing on ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos, Pritzker didn’t hold back. The Democratic governor, seen by many as a rising contender for the 2028 presidential race, accused the Trump administration of “spreading lies” and “abusing power.”
“You just heard a tidal wave of lies from the vice president,” Pritzker said, responding to Vice President J.D. Vance’s earlier remarks. “This administration is attacking honesty and integrity every single day. They lie, they intimidate, and they call it leadership.”
Pritzker then took direct aim at Trump’s legal record. “This is a 34-time convicted felon threatening to imprison political opponents,” he said. “That’s not democracy—it’s authoritarian behavior, plain and simple.”
Trump’s online post last week alleged that Pritzker and Johnson failed to protect ICE agents during the Broadview protest. According to officials, federal agents were surrounded by demonstrators before one armed suspect was taken into custody after an exchange of gunfire. Dispatch reports suggested local police were told to “stand down,” a claim city officials are still investigating.
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