Vice President JD Vance sharply criticized Gov. JB Pritzker (D-Ill.) on Sunday, saying the Democratic leader should face repercussions for his handling of Chicago's rising crime, echoing President Donald Trump's call to jail the governor.
Vance Points To Chicago's Rising Murder Rate And The Governor's Alleged Failures
During an interview on ABC News's This Week, host George Stephanopoulos pressed Vance on whether Pritzker had committed a crime.
Vance avoided a direct answer but said, "Governor Pritzker has certainly failed to keep the people of Illinois safe."
He added, "We're trying to help him, and we're trying to help the residents of his biggest city. I wish that he would let us because he certainly isn't doing the job himself."
Vance Accuses Pritzker Of Oath Violation, Governor Fires Back
Vance further claimed Pritzker "violated his fundamental oath of office" and suggested he should "suffer some consequences" for failing to protect thousands of Chicago residents.
He emphasized that whether a crime occurred is ultimately for the courts to decide, but framed Pritzker's failures as morally and politically egregious.
Pritzker responded later in the interview, calling Vance's remarks a "tidal wave of lies" and accusing the Trump administration of targeting political opponents.
"They're making things up to go after people. I'm not afraid. I'm going to stand up for the people of my state," he said.
He also criticized the Trump administration on X, saying, “the federal court to the Nobel Prize Committee, everyone agrees that Donald Trump and his administration lack integrity and credibility.”
Court Blocks Trump's National Guard Deployment To Chicago Amid States' Rights Debate
Last week, a federal appeals court ruled that National Guard troops sent to Illinois by President Trump could remain in the state under federal authority but were temporarily barred from deployment.
U.S. District Judge April Perry cited no substantial evidence of a "danger of rebellion" and said the administration violated the 10th and 14th Amendments by sending troops to Chicago.
Pritzker said, "The court confirmed what we all know: there is no credible evidence of a rebellion in the state of Illinois."
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton echoed Gov. Pritzker, calling the deployment an "outrageous assault on Illinois and Oregon" and urging Americans on X to oppose it.
Trump had previously suggested Chicago could be next for National Guard or military deployment, praising the troops' role in restoring order in Washington, D.C., while claiming regular military forces were not yet needed.
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