WASHINGTON (AP) — Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker says he’s nervous about how President Donald Trump would possibly reply to the rising controversy over paperwork tying him to Jeffrey Epstein.
“My great fear, of course, is that with the release of that information, which I think will be devastating for Trump, he’s going to do everything in his power to distract,” Pritzker instructed The Related Press in a wide-ranging interview on Wednesday. “What does that mean? I mean, he might take us to war with Venezuela just to get a distraction in the news and take it out of the headlines.”
Pritzker, extensively seen as among the many prime potential Democratic presidential contenders in 2028, additionally directed a few of his sharpest criticism at members of his personal social gathering. He mentioned the choice by seven Democratic senators and one unbiased to facet with Republicans in a Senate vote to finish the federal government shutdown was an “enormous mistake” that performed proper into Trump’s fingers.
“I’ve been on team fight from the very beginning,” Pritzker mentioned. “And I don’t appreciate when we’ve got Democrats who are caving in and doing basically what the Trump administration wants.”
Pritzker didn’t be part of calls for Senate Democratic Chief Chuck Schumer to step apart, which has come from some Democrats who assume he ought to have fought more durable. “I’m not sure this is the one thing that people should focus on to put them over the edge about it,” the governor mentioned.
He was as an alternative extra vital of the group of Democratic senators who voted for the deal, which included Sen. Dick Durbin, his personal state’s senior senator.
“We were winning,” mentioned Pritzker, pointing to resounding Democratic wins in elections throughout the nation final week. “I do not understand why people caved when we were on the verge of getting real change.”
Since Trump’s reelection, Pritzker — an inheritor to the Hyatt lodge fortune — has been among the many president’s fiercest Democratic critics.
On Wednesday, he described Trump as “a narcissist” and mentioned he believed the president “has dementia.”
Pritzker’s feedback about Trump’s use of the politics of distraction got here as newly launched paperwork reignited scrutiny of Trump’s relationship with Epstein. In a 2019 e mail to a journalist, Epstein wrote that Trump “knew about the girls,” however what he knew — and whether or not it pertained to the intercourse offender’s crimes — is unclear. The White Home accused Democrats of selectively leaking the emails to smear the president.
However few governors have witnessed Trump’s use of power as straight as Pritzker, who has seen federal brokers descend on Chicago and its suburbs in latest months as a part of “ Operation Midway Blitz.” Greater than 3,300 individuals suspected of immigration violations have been arrested since September, with some raids involving helicopters, tear fuel and nighttime operations.
“This is part of the militarization of our American cities that Donald Trump is engaging in,” Pritzker mentioned. “And it’s dangerous. It shouldn’t happen, but he’s got a purpose behind it. And it’s to affect our elections in 2026.”
Pritzker mentioned the big immigration crackdown seen in Chicago would quickly increase to different states, saying that he had spoken not too long ago to North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein after stories that the administration would possibly ship federal forces into Charlotte.
“I’m hoping that the pushback will finally lead them to ratchet down their efforts,” mentioned Pritzker.
