Pritzker Trolls Trump With Redacted White House Memo

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Illinois Governor JB Pritzker trolled President Donald Trump after the White House sent a memo to Republicans urging them not to panic ahead of the release of official economic data, which critics have accused officials of delaying to obscure the scope of the country's economic downturn. Pritzker shared a digitally altered version of the memo that redacts everything except the sentence "Donald J. Trump's Administration is lying to America."

Why it matters

The White House memo and Pritzker's response highlight the growing political tensions over the state of the economy, with the administration facing criticism for allegedly delaying the release of unfavorable data. This comes as more revelations about Trump's connections to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein continue to make headlines.

The details

The White House memo urged Republicans not to panic ahead of the release of official economic data, which critics have accused officials of delaying to obscure the scope of the country's economic downturn. Layoffs surged in January, climbing to 108,435—the highest monthly total since 2009 and an increase of roughly 118 percent compared with the same time last year. Hiring showed signs of a sharp slowdown, with only 5,306 jobs reportedly added. Job openings also fell steeply, leaving fewer than one available position—about 0.87—for every unemployed worker.

• The White House memo was sent to Republicans in February 2026.
• The January 2026 employment data was delayed due to the ongoing government shutdown.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The release of delayed January 2026 employment data and any new February figures are expected to be pivotal in providing a clearer picture of the state of the labor market.