Gov. JB Pritzker Says Dems Need to Reconnect With Working Families

WASHINGTON — Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker — a possible Democratic presidential candidate in 2028 — delivered a fiery message at the Center for American Progress this week, laying out his concerns about the direction of the country under the Trump administration while emphasizing the Democratic Party’s need to reconnect with working families.

“The only way out is through, and that is where we are,” Pritzker said, setting the tone for a discussion both sharply critical of Trump-era policies and urgently calling for Democrats to focus on tangible improvements in people’s lives.

Pritzker lambasted the current administration, accusing it of both incompetence and intentional cruelty. He characterized the White House as an oligarchy, claiming that “the meme-lords and the minions in the White House conceive of themselves as kings and nobles who have the divine right to order the world in the way that best suits them and their fellow kleptocrats.” 

He pointed to President Trump’s past handling of the COVID-19 crisis as an example, reiterating his claim that he was asked to publicly praise Trump on Sunday talk shows as a condition of securing PPE for Illinois during the pandemic, yet the promised supplies never materialized. 

“Is it incompetence or treachery? In 2025, he’s proving it’s both,” Pritzker charged.

Pritzker has emerged as one of Trump’s most vocal Democratic critics, especially on the impact of his economic policy on middle-class Americans. He warned that a recession under the current administration could be devastating, arguing that the administration is deliberately breaking systems to reshape them for its own benefit. 

“This is true villainous cruelty by a few idiots who are trying to figure out how to pull off the scam of their lives,” he said bluntly. 

He noted that in just 60 days, the signs of economic strain were already angering “everyday Americans.”

In addition to all of his critiques of the Trump administration, Pritzker also challenged Democrats on their messaging.

“Democrats are the party of working families, but there’s a disconnect between people’s recognition of the policies and their everyday lives,” he acknowledged.

He presented his vision for the Democratic Party’s future, one rooted in economic justice and policy accomplishments, and pointed to Illinois as an example of Democratic leadership that delivers: lowering the cost of college, capping prescription drug prices, eliminating the state tax on groceries and enacting a child tax credit. 

“Democrats have to make people’s lives better,” he said. “If we center ourselves on what’s best for working families, what’s best for the middle class, what’s best for the most vulnerable people in our society, that’s where Democrats belong.”

Pritzker also pushed back against Republican claims to be the party of job creation and small businesses. 

“Most jobs don’t come from large corporations, but from small and start-up businesses,” he claimed, questioning why Democrats aren’t owning the mantle of being the party of small business. 

Pritzker criticized tariffs for what many say is their negative impact on American businesses and emphasized the importance of fair wages and economic growth. And on health care, he reaffirmed his belief that “health care is a right,” arguing that universal health care is not just a moral necessity but also beneficial for the economy.

As a governor, Pritzker acknowledged the limitations of his power in influencing federal policy but underscored his role as a vocal advocate. 

“The pushback that I can offer is to run a state that is really about working people and the most vulnerable. I have got a bully pulpit—the 18th largest economy in the world—to speak to what I think our common American values are.” 

He framed Illinois as a microcosm of the nation, saying, “We are the center of the country; the heart of the country; and a state that looks like the demographics of the entire country.”

Pritzker vowed to continue “sounding the alarm” and called on Democrats to fight for the values of freedom, security, and global leadership. “We have to protect the freedom, the security, the leadership that this country has established in the world. And I see it all being taken away, little by little.”