Democratic Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has sparked debate after describing Chicago’s recent summer as “truly an amazing summer” during a Thursday appearance on the podcast Pod Save America, even as the city tallied 123 murders between June, July, and August, according to an analysis by WBEZ Chicago.
While the summer’s murder count was the lowest for that period since 1965, the statistic still represents well over one homicide per day.
Pritzker used the podcast platform to counter President Donald Trump’s characterization of Chicago as a “hellhole,” citing what he claimed was record-breaking tourism for the city and the state of Illinois.
“We’ve had truly an amazing summer,” Pritzker stated. “And I would point out we’ve had greater tourism than ever before in the history of Chicago and in the state of Illinois. So the idea that people are continuing to come to Chicago to visit us and yet somehow it’s a hellhole and crime-ridden… It’s ludicrous.”
Crime Statistics and Context
In defense of his perspective, Pritzker referenced a significant drop in homicides over the past four years, noting the current figure is half the number it was four years ago. He also pointed out that Illinois, including Chicago, is not among the states with the highest violent crime rates, stating it ranks 19th safest in the nation.
However, the summer months were not without significant violence. The city recorded at least 58 individuals shot and eight killed over the Labor Day Weekend alone, as the Tampa Free Press reported.
Pritzker previously addressed the deadly Labor Day Weekend on Sept. 1, saying that crime is simply an inevitability in major metropolitan areas.
“Look, big cities have crime. There’s no doubt about it,” Pritzker said, before pivoting to critique the President’s focus. He accused President Trump of “targeting Chicago” while “overlooking red states that have much higher crime rates, much higher.”
According to ABC7, in the last 12 months through October 1, 2025, there have been 455 homicides equating to 17.1 homicides per 100,000 people.
The governor’s stance has drawn criticism, including from those who believe he should be more willing to collaborate with the federal government to combat violent crime.
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