Pritzker: Illinois ‘a refuge’ after Trump’s White House win – NBC Chicago

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has never shied away from criticizing President-elect Donald Trump, and in a speech Wednesday he stepped up his rhetoric as another Trump administration approaches.

Trump, who will return to the Oval Office in January, has promised to bring a sweeping conservative agenda back to Washington, and in one of the two Midwestern states that supported Vice President Kamala Harris' candidacy, Pritzker said the incoming president will find fierce resistance if he tries to push back against his administration's progressive policies.

"To anyone who intends to come, take away the freedom and opportunity and dignity of Illinoisans, I would remind you that a happy warrior is still a warrior," Pritzker said. "You come for my people, you come through me."

The governor painted Illinois as "a refuge for those whose rights are being denied elsewhere," and promised to continue pursuing protections for asylum seekers, those seeking reproductive healthcare, and LGBTQ+ communities. He pointed to actions like the Reproductive Health Act and his mandate that gender-affirming care be covered by insurers in the state , while promising to do more work in the years to come.

"(To) women seeking reproductive health care. Immigrants searching to work hard for a better life. LGBTQ Americans looking for welcome and protection. And people with disabilities whose civil and human rights are under attack. Over the years ahead, we'll do more than just protect against the possible reversion to an agenda that threatens to take us backward," he said.

Pritzker called his administration's approach to governance "positive, productive and inclusive," and admitted that he was jarred by the results of Tuesday's election.

"Even today, when I'm struggling with many of the difficult questions this election poses, my optimism for the future remains undiminished," he said. "Governing is hard work, but it's also important and challenging work. I refuse to let it grind me down."

A supporter of Harris' candidacy who campaigned for her in numerous states , Pritzker also addressed questions about whether the United States is ready to have a woman serve as president.

"I know that there are a lot of women out there this week, especially young women, asking themselves if they will ever get to see a female president," he said. "And to them, I want to say I, too, am tired of having to explain to my daughter and to my son, too, that eventually the time will come. But not now."

For now, Pritzker will have several key political mountains to climb, including passing a state budget early next year. He vows that the budget will once again be balanced, despite a government report projecting a $3 billion deficit in fiscal year 2026.

He also will have to decide whether or not to run for a third term in office in 2026, and despite speculation that he could seek out higher office , he said he is still focused on state business.

"(I have) no plans for anything else," he said.