JB Pritzker says US under Trump is worse than COVID-19 pandemic
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, D, said Tuesday during a podcast that the current political “moment” in the United States is “slightly worse” than the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the high death toll during that crisis.
On the “I’ve Had It” podcast, host Jennifer Welch asked Pritzker how he was managing amid the current administration’s policies. The governor responded that while every day is a blessing, the political climate presents serious challenges.
“It’s been challenging,” Pritzker said. “I’ve been asked, is this like COVID, you know, the moment that we’re in? Is it like every day, the challenges that we face? And the answer is, I think it’s maybe slightly worse than COVID, even though obviously people were dying in the United States in droves because of what Donald Trump was doing with regard to COVID. But it’s a really challenging moment.”
Pritzker also referenced remarks he made in 2025 comparing the Trump administration to the early rise of Nazi Germany.
“The authoritarian playbook is laid bare here: They point to a group of people who don’t look like you and tell you to blame them for your problems. If you think I’m overreacting and sounding the alarm too soon, consider this: It took the Nazis one month, three weeks, two days, eight hours, and 40 minutes to dismantle a constitutional republic,” Pritzker said at the time.
He told the podcast that critics on the right attacked him for those comments, while some on the left remained silent. “Now, twelve months later, a lot more people among Democrats are saying, ‘Yeah, this feels like Germany in the 1930s.’ And of course, Republicans just won’t own it,” he said.
Welch asked Pritzker about the possibility of a 2028 presidential run. Pritzker, who is considered a top contender for the Democratic nomination, said he is focused on his gubernatorial re-election bid.
“I’m flattered that people have talked about it,” he said. “I honestly have not been able to answer that question because I don’t know. I’m running for re-election as governor, and it’s an unusual thing, because, in Illinois anyway, even though we have no limits on the number of terms that you can serve, it’s very unusual for anybody to run for a third term as governor. I think I would be the second person ever to do that.”
Pritzker, a billionaire, addressed criticism from progressives about his wealth. He said he ran on policies that lower taxes for the working class while raising taxes on the wealthy, including himself. Welch noted that he is a billionaire willing to say, “Tax me more.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
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