JB Pritzker says no to National Guard in Chicago : NPR
President Trump said on Monday that he intended to send the national guard troops to Memphis as part of what he says is an attack on crime. Trump added that he was still hoping to send troops to Chicago, although he is not clear how he can legally do so. The new deal with a new relevance for our recent interview with the Governor of Illinois, JB Pritzker, who refused to ask for the army.
This interview with Pritzker was an opportunity to see him respond to a wave of immigration application in Chicago – and to hear one of the governors who thinks of a presidency race.
Governor Pritzker speaks with Steve Inskeep from NPR in Pilsen, a district of Chicago known for his colorful murals that pay tribute to his Hispanic roots.
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Democrats have spoken of Pritzker as a possible candidate at least since 2022-2023, when he was considered a possible alternative to President Biden, should abandon Biden. Pritzker was governor of a great state, as well as a billionaire, which would allow him to relaunch the financing of a campaign.
“Oh, I had neither goal nor desire. I did not take it seriously, apart from I am flattered,” he said. When Biden finally abandoned in 2024, it was too late for a primary and Pritzker supported Kamala Harris, the choice of the president.
Will the 2028 campaign be different? Pritzker did not say, but said he felt ready. “There are things that governors will learn in their executive functions and the things I have come into office, having management positions in the private sector, which are very useful for managing any type of organization, especially the largest organization that exists in the United States.”
He is one of the many governors – with Gavin Newsom from California, Gretchen Whitmer from Michigan and Andy Beshear from Kentucky – who could see an opening. Democrats and Republicans will analyze interviews like ours for relevant information.
