Just hours after President Donald Trump called for him to be jailed, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker fired back — taunting, daring, and challenging the President in a striking rebuke.

Asked on camera to respond to President Trump’s remarks, Governor Pritzker said, “Well, let’s start with the idea that this is a convicted felon — I mean, think about that — who’s threatening to jail me.”

“I gotta say, this guy’s unhinged,” Pritzker said of the President.

“He’s insecure, he’s a wannabe dictator, and there’s one thing I really want to say to Donald Trump,” the governor continued, before looking directly into the camera.

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“If you come for my people, you come through me. So come and get me.”

When asked what he meant, Pritzker replied: “You know as well as I do.”

The governor also told MSNBC’s Jacob Soboroff that Trump “said he was going after the worst of the worst. It’s not going after the worst of the worst when you’re just literally stopping children who happen to be brown and asking them for papers as if they’re gonna have proof that they’re a U.S. citizen.”

“We want everybody to pull out your phones,” he added, “and film everything you see.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Governor Pritzker vowed to “not back down,” and warned that “Trump is now calling for the arrest of elected representatives checking his power. What else is left on the path to full-blown authoritarianism?”

Pritzker: “This guy is unhinged. He’s insecure. He’s a wannabe dictator. And there’s one thing I really want to say to Donald Trump. If you come for my people, you come through me. So come and get me.” pic.twitter.com/3QBrovBpZs

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 8, 2025

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After President Donald Trump called for his imprisonment, Illinois Democratic Governor JB Pritzker — one of Trump’s most outspoken critics — warned that the country is heading toward “full-blown authoritarianism.”

“Chicago Mayor should be in jail for failing to protect Ice Officers! Governor Pritzker also!” the President blasted early Wednesday morning, hours after the National Guard arrived in Illinois. Governor Pritzker opposes Trump deploying the troops, and has called it an “invasion.”

“Not yet 9 a.m. in IL,” NBC News senior political reporter Natasha Korecki wrote on X, “& the president has threatened to jail both the Gov and the Chicago mayor as the [National] Guard hits the streets after ICE/CBP clashed with Chicagoans, shooting one, after a Blackhawk helicopter landed on a South Side apartment building, arresting gang members but purportedly zip tying residents.”

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Trump’s social media missive is his “latest call for his political opponents to be punished as part of his retribution campaign against those who have attempted to hold him accountable or have challenged his political agent,” according to Democracy Docket.

Governor Pritzker responded to the President’s remarks in a series of social media messages.

Vowing to “not back down,” he warned, “Trump is now calling for the arrest of elected representatives checking his power. What else is left on the path to full-blown authoritarianism?”

He noted that the President’s “masked agents already are grabbing people off the street. Separating children from their parents. Creating fear. Taking people for ‘how they look.'”

“Making people feel they need to carry citizenship papers,” he charged. “Invading our state with military troops. Sending in war helicopters in the middle of the night. Arresting elected officials asking questions.”

And he called for everyone to “stand up and speak out.”

U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA) praised Governor Pritzker: “Can’t help but admire the strength and resolve JB is displaying throughout this ordeal. Clearly @GovPritzker was meant for this moment.”

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Image via Reuters

During Tuesday’s combative Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, a “defiant” Attorney General Pam Bondi hurled personal attacks at Democratic Senators, with at least one exchange resulting in a “heated shouting match.”

Several Democratic senators chastised the Attorney General for her actions at the Department of Justice, including Sen. Mazie Hirono, who accused Bondi of turning the DOJ into the “Department of Revenge and Corruption.”

“Rather than pursuing cases without fear or favor, this DOJ seeks to favor the president’s friends and instill fear in his alleged enemies,” the Hawaii Democratic Senator declared. “If you’re a friend of the president, this corrupt DOJ will bend over backwards to help you, just like it dropped the bribery investigation of Tom Homan.”

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“Like it’s considering paying money to January 6th rioters, and like it has put antitrust enforcement decisions in the hands of well-connected lobbyists. But if you’re on the wrong side of this president, you will face the wrath of DOJ, no matter what the facts, law, or justice support.”

Hirono noted that former Trump FBI director James Comey was “indicted days after the president’s social media directive.”

“Experienced career prosecutors are fired just because they were assigned to work on January 6 cases. Blue states are sued to get highly sensitive, private voter data, whereas red states are left alone. The double standard is clear, and the American people are waking up to the corruption and favoritism and the lawlessness of the DOJ,” the senator alleged.

Hirono also brought up President Trump’s social media post addressed to “Pam,” which many believe was supposed to be a private message to the Attorney General. In it, he called for the prosecution of his former FBI director.

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“We can’t delay any longer,” Trump wrote, “it’s killing our reputation and credibility. They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!”

Hirono asked, “Are you the Pam that the president was referring to?”

Bondi replied, “I’m sure I was.”

“So, it’s very clear to me,” Hirono added, “that when the president posted something like that, that he considers the DOJ to be his law firm, and you, his lawyer, and in fact, very shortly after the post, to you, Comey gets indicted.”

Hirono to Bondi: “It’s very clear to me that when the president posts something like that, that he considers the DOJ to be his law firm and you his lawyer.” pic.twitter.com/UYXOWeYeks

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 7, 2025

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Image via Reuters