Governor JB Pritzker (D-Ill.) used a series of posts on X to caution Americans against normalizing government overreach, directly criticizing President Donald Trump's law enforcement strategies as a threat to democracy.
Pritzker Warns Against Normalizing Government Abuses
Pritzker's warning began with a post sharing a video of a Sunday evening news conference: "Once Donald Trump gets the citizens of this nation comfortable with the current atrocities committed under the color of law – what comes next?" he wrote.
At the conference, he emphasized the dangers of accepting government abuses under the guise of fighting crime. "I refused to pretend that any of this is normal," Pritzker said.
"Any rational person who has spent even the most minimal amount of time studying human history has to ask themselves one important question: once citizens get comfortable with the current atrocities committed under the color of law, what comes next?"
Pritzker Criticizes Trump's Military Tactics, Urges Civilian Crime Response
Earlier in the day, Pritzker shared a post on X, calling Trump's approach "a nefarious plan… repeated over and over again by tyrannical dictatorships across history," in which authorities incite chaos before deploying armed forces to consolidate power.
He warned that sending military troops into states could violate the Posse Comitatus Act, highlighting that local law enforcement is better equipped to handle crime.
Pritzker also pointed to Illinois' successes in reducing violent crime and urged federal support via civilian agencies such as the ATF, FBI, and DEA, rather than military intervention.
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Trump Criticized For ‘Chipocalypse Now’ Meme Suggesting Military Action In Chicago
Last week, Trump faced intense criticism from Democratic leaders after posting a meme on Truth Social joking about deportations and hinting at military action in Chicago.
The post, which featured the words “Chipocalypse Now” alongside an image of Trump in a cavalry hat and sunglasses against the Chicago skyline, included the caption: “I love the smell of deportations in the morning… Chicago is about to find out why we call it the Department of War.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) accusing Trump of using the military as political pawns and warning Americans not to become numb to such threats. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) called the meme “stolen valor at its worst,” rejecting the idea that Chicago could become a federal war zone.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson accused Trump of undermining the Constitution and attempting to occupy the city, urging citizens to protect democracy.
Gov. Tim Walz (D-Minn.) also criticized Trump, saying there was “nothing normal” about the president suggesting Chicago would face military action, highlighting growing concerns over authoritarian overreach.
According to a New York Times report, Trump clarified on Sunday that his comments did not signal actual warfare, saying, “We’re not going to war. We’re going to clean up our cities.”
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
