President Donald Trump reignited his criticism of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker Tuesday during the annual Thanksgiving Turkey Pardoning event outside the White House. Trump sharply attacked Pritzker, calling him a “big, fat slob” and accused him of allowing crime to spiral out of control in Chicago alongside Mayor Brandon Johnson. He said the federal government could make Chicago “totally safe” in weeks if allowed to act.
Trump referenced recent headlines: a man with over 70 prior arrests set a woman on fire aboard the Chicago Transit Authority train. “They burned this beautiful woman riding in a train… 72 arrests, think of that, and they’ll let him out again,” Trump declared. His administration later issued a White House statement accusing Democrats of enabling the violence through bail reforms backed by Pritzker and Chicago’s leadership.
Governor Pritzker hit back within an hour, releasing a statement blaming Trump’s tariffs and economic policies for rising living costs and making Thanksgiving dinners harder for families to afford. Claiming prices had surged nearly 10 %, Pritzker cited a report by the Groundwork Collaborative. However, the annual survey by the American Farm Bureau shows the national cost of a Thanksgiving meal for ten actually dropped 5% and averaged $49.20 in Illinois.
The exchange highlights the growing tension between the Trump administration and Democratic leadership in Illinois. While Trump points to public‑safety failures and offers federal intervention, Pritzker urges focus on economic strain affecting everyday Americans. The feud brings added attention to crime in Chicago, federal oversight of urban policing, and the cost of living pressures that dominate voters’ concerns ahead of upcoming elections.
