President Trump on Monday said he intended to send National Guard troops to Memphis as part of what he says is an attack on crime. Trump added that he still hopes to send troops to Chicago, though it’s unclear how he legally can do so. The news gives fresh relevance to our recent interview with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who has declined to ask for the military.
This interview with Pritzker was an opportunity to see him respond to an immigration enforcement surge in Chicago — and to hear from one of the governors who is thinking of a run for president.
Gov. Pritzker talks with NPR’s Steve Inskeep in Pilsen, a Chicago neighborhood known for colorful murals that pay homage to its Hispanic roots.
Ben de la Cruz/NPR
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Ben de la Cruz/NPR
Democrats have talked of Pritzker as a possible candidate at least since 2022-2023, when he was seen as a possible alternative to President Biden, should Biden drop out. Pritzker was a governor of a big state, and also a billionaire, which would make it possible for him to jump-start the financing for a campaign.
“Oh, I had no aim or desire. I didn’t take it seriously, other than I’m flattered,” he told me. When Biden at last did drop out in 2024, it was too late for a primary and Pritzker supported Kamala Harris, the president’s choice.
Will the 2028 campaign be different? Pritzker hasn’t said, but indicated that he feels ready. “There are things that governors will learn in their executive functions and things that I came into office understanding, having executive positions in the private sector, that are very helpful in running any kind of organization, especially the largest organization that exists in the United States.”
He’s one of several governors — along with California’s Gavin Newsom, Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer, and Kentucky’s Andy Beshear — who may see an opening. Democrats and Republicans alike will be scanning interviews like ours for relevant information.