Trump, Pritzker Trade Barbs Over Alleged 2026 Election Theft Plan

Illinois governor accuses former president of plotting to 'steal' upcoming midterm elections

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

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President Donald Trump and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker exchanged heated words after Pritzker accused Trump of planning to 'steal' the 2026 midterm elections. Trump dismissed Pritzker's claims, instead urging the governor to focus on addressing crime in Illinois. The two political rivals have frequently clashed over issues like immigration enforcement and Trump's tariff policies.

Why it matters

The ongoing feud between Trump and Pritzker highlights the deep partisan divisions in the country, with accusations of election tampering and political score-settling taking center stage. As the 2026 midterms approach, concerns over the integrity of the electoral process could become a major campaign issue.

The details

Pritzker posted on social media that Trump's 'plan to steal the 2026 midterm elections is already underway.' When asked about the governor's accusation, Trump dismissed it, saying Pritzker should instead focus on addressing crime in Illinois. Pritzker quickly fired back, telling Trump 'you're not denying it.' The two politicians have frequently traded barbs, especially over Trump's immigration enforcement efforts in Chicago and his tariff policies that Pritzker says have hurt Illinois residents.

  • On February 28, 2026, Pritzker accused Trump of planning to 'steal' the 2026 midterm elections.
  • On the same day, Trump responded to Pritzker's accusation, urging the governor to focus on crime in Illinois.

The players

Donald Trump

The former president of the United States, who has frequently clashed with Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker over political issues.

J.B. Pritzker

The current governor of Illinois, who has accused Trump of planning to 'steal' the 2026 midterm elections.

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What they’re saying

“Donald Trump's plan to steal the 2026 midterm elections is already underway.”

— J.B. Pritzker, Governor of Illinois (Social media)

“We'll he's got to focus on crime in his state. The crime in his state is doing very badly. If we, if we went and took care of it, what would we do, just like Washington, D.C., we have no crime. Memphis, it's down 82%. Louisiana, you take a look at Louisiana. What he should really do is focus on crime in his state, because there's too much of it.”

— Donald Trump (NBC Chicago)

“Donald, you're not denying it.”

— J.B. Pritzker, Governor of Illinois (Social media)

What’s next

The ongoing feud between Trump and Pritzker is likely to continue as the 2026 midterm elections approach, with both sides making accusations and counter-accusations about the integrity of the electoral process.

The takeaway

The heated exchange between Trump and Pritzker underscores the deep partisan divisions in the country, with accusations of election tampering and political score-settling taking center stage. As the 2026 midterms approach, concerns over the integrity of the electoral process could become a major campaign issue, further exacerbating the political tensions.