Trump seizes on JB Pritzker's weight loss, fuels 2028 presidential run rumors about governor

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is drawing attention not just for his policies but also for his changing appearance.

On the campaign trail, the Democrat no longer carries the same barrel-shaped figure that once defined his look. His suits fit more loosely, his jackets button easily, and he cuts a noticeably trimmer figure as he seeks a third term.

Asked directly about the change, Pritzker brushed it off with a simple reply: “How about, just for health.” But for political insiders, the timing has stirred speculation. 

Trump says JB Pritzker wants to be 'president'

“Looks like he’s getting ready for a fight,” said Mark McKinnon, a veteran political strategist who worked for George W Bush and John McCain.

Pritzker’s new look became a talking point after President Donald Trump weighed in with his trademark insult-driven style. “He should spend more time in the gym,” the MAGA leader told reporters, taking a shot at the governor’s appearance.

Pritzker fired back quickly, calling Trump a “bully” and adding, “It takes one to know one on the weight question. The president himself is not in good shape. He ought to respond to that from me.”

Even so, Trump acknowledged what others had noticed — that Pritzker is dropping pounds — and hinted at the political implications. “I understand (Pritzker) wants to be president. I noticed he lost a little weight, so maybe he has a chance,” Trump said earlier this month.

The governor, spotted in running shoes on recent outings, has not confirmed any presidential ambitions. 

Trump escalates feud with JB Pritzker over Chicago violence

Donald Trump intensified his clash with JB Pritzker after another violent weekend in Chicago that left six people dead and more than two dozen others wounded by gunfire.

Citing the bloodshed, Trump blasted the Democratic governor for rejecting federal assistance, accusing him of ignoring a crisis that demands urgent intervention.

In a fiery Truth Social post on Saturday, August 30, Trump labeled Pritzker “incompetent” and issued a warning. “Six people were killed, and 24 people were shot, in Chicago last weekend, and JB Pritzker, the weak and pathetic Governor of Illinois, just said that he doesn’t need help in preventing CRIME,” Trump wrote. “He is CRAZY!!! He better straighten it out, FAST, or we’re coming!”

The broadside comes on the heels of Trump’s recent executive orders to reassert federal control over crime enforcement in Washington, DC, where he mobilized the National Guard and placed the Metropolitan Police under federal authority, later warning that Chicago could be “next.”

His border enforcement adviser, Tom Homan, also signaled that ICE may broaden operations to sanctuary cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Portland, and Seattle.

Governor Pritzker, however, is pushing back forcefully against Trump’s rhetoric. He dismissed the threat of federal intervention as “a dangerous power grab” and warned that bypassing state authority would violate constitutional boundaries.