Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois said he would not attend a dinner for governors at the White House in an X post on Tuesday.
The dinner is part of the National Governors Association Winter Meeting scheduled to take place Feb. 19-21 in Washington, D.C. Pritzker cited President Donald Trump’s reported decision to disinvite Democratic Govs. Wes Moore of Maryland and Jared Polis of Colorado from the dinner in his post on X.
“No way will I attend the White House dinner with this President. I’m standing with @GovWesMoore and @GovofCO — and standing against Trump’s corruption and hatred,” Pritzker, a potential candidate for the Democratic nomination in for the 2028 presidential election, claimed. “And I’m calling on my Republican colleagues to do the same.”
READ: Florida’s “ID Branding” Debate: New Bills Propose Citizenship Labels On State Licenses
While the White House reportedly didn’t give any reason for why Moore and Polis were disinvited, both have clashed with the White House, according to USA Today. Moore and Trump clashed over a potential deployment of the National Guard to address violent crime in Baltimore, while Polis and Trump have clashed over the case of Tina Peters, a clerk who was imprisoned for charges relating to Trump’s efforts to contest the 2020 election.
Pritzker previously defended then-Democratic Attorney General candidate Jay Jones of Virginia, who fantasized about a political opponent’s children being murdered. The Illinois governor has also repeatedly referred to Trump and his supporters as Nazis and likened him to German dictator Adolf Hitler.
On Sept. 12, Pritzker issued a proclamation directing that the flag be flown at half-staff to honor the “victims of political violence,” without specifically referencing Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated on Sept. 10.
READ: Minnesota Federal Prosecutor Joins Don Lemon’s Defense Weeks After Quitting
Pritzker’s “conspicuous size” and “girth” were noted in a 2017 Chicago Tribune article about his 2018 gubernatorial campaign. Multiple media outlets reported he was on a “weight-loss journey,” and Pritzker refused to tell a Chicago-area media outlet whether he was using Ozempic or similar weight-loss medications, with some speculating his weight loss is tied to a possible 2028 presidential run.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
