Podcast Summary: "Trump Is Stealing The Midterms" with Gov. JB Pritzker

Podcast: In Good Faith With Philip DeFranco
Host: Philip DeFranco
Guest: Governor JB Pritzker (Illinois)
Date: August 21, 2025

Overview

This wide-ranging episode features Illinois Governor JB Pritzker in a candid, often humorous, but ultimately grave conversation with Philip DeFranco. The two delve into Pritzker’s family and political origins, sharp critiques of Donald Trump's current and past actions, alarming shifts in immigration enforcement, democracy’s erosion in America, and the scramble for control of the U.S. Congress through controversial redistricting. Pritzker, with his signature wit and forthrightness, discusses both "kitchen table" issues and existential threats to American democracy in the Trump era, offering both pragmatic and idealistic insights.

Key Themes and Discussion Points

1. Chicago Culture, Humor, and Personal Upbringing

Timestamp: 00:50–04:05

• “Man in the Bean?”: DeFranco opens with a tongue-in-cheek question about Chicago’s "Cloud Gate" sculpture.
  • Pritzker (01:47): "Every time you call it the bean, the sculptor... is very upset, because the actual name... is Cloud Gate."
• Chicago Hot Dogs & Malort: Pritzker gives DeFranco local tips—including "no ketchup!"—and reminisces about the infamously bitter Malort shot.

2. Family History & Activist Roots

Timestamp: 04:05–10:11

• Pritzker shares his family’s immigrant story—fleeing Russian pogroms, building lives from nothing—and credits his activist mother’s fight for reproductive and LGBTQ rights for inspiring his public service.
• Pritzker (05:47): "One of the reasons my mother is my hero is because she had so many trials and tribulations... She was an activist... in the late 60s, early 70s, mid 70s... not popular positions to have back then."
• Mentorship & Public Service: Meeting and working for Terry Sanford at Duke University solidified Pritzker’s belief in sacrificing for principle over popularity.

3. Pritzker’s Path to Politics

Timestamp: 10:11–16:07

• No single “aha” moment led to public service—rather, a gradual realization that government, when guided by principle, can have the greatest impact.
• Early loss running for Congress humbled him and built relationships. "I came in third out of five, made the podium..." (15:00)

4. Pritzker vs. Trump: History and Personality Clashes

Timestamp: 16:07–19:10

• Trump’s old business grudge against Pritzker’s family in the Hyatt Hotel days might explain his enduring animosity toward JB and his sister Penny.
  • Pritzker (17:31): "He is a vengeful narcissist. There’s no doubt about that... I’m glad I’m living rent free in his head, apparently."
• Pritzker guffaws at Trump’s claim he was “thrown out” of the family business, clarifying he never actually worked for Hyatt.

5. Nazi Comparisons, Fascism, and US Democracy

Timestamp: 19:10–24:00

• DeFranco asks Pritzker about his frequent comparisons of Trumpism to Nazism.
  • Pritzker (19:51): "What happened was the relatively quick endeavor of the Nazis to engulf and take down a series of rights that existed for the citizens of Germany… I'm not suggesting that the US is headed toward a Holocaust."
  • Warns that democracy can be subverted quickly: "It was 53 days that the Nazis... took down a democracy." (22:49)

6. Immigration, ICE, and Authoritarian Playbooks

Timestamp: 24:00–32:01

• DeFranco queries comparisons between current federal immigration raids and Gestapo tactics; Pritzker condemns unmarked, masked officers snatching people off streets.

  • Pritzker (24:00): "...masked people not identifying themselves... literally kidnapping people off the streets... that does happen in authoritarian regimes."

• He draws attention to due process violations, racism in enforcement, and mass deportations—insisting the US should return to comprehensive immigration reform:

  • Pritzker (30:25): "The entire thing is loathsome. It's... un-American... It's clear that they are being told... it's okay to operate this way."

• Addresses the conflation of legal and illegal immigration—many “undocumented” immigrants entered legally at first:

  • Pritzker (32:40): "An undocumented person didn't necessarily come to this country illegally..."

7. Calls for Political Engagement, Not Violence

Timestamp: 35:13–36:42

• DeFranco brings up reports Pritzker "called for rebellion in the streets." Pritzker clarifies:
  • Pritzker (35:37): "I've always followed it with the words, you know, megaphones and microphones and, you know, ballot boxes. That's what I mean."

8. Election Interference, Trump’s Disruption Tactics & Democratic Response

Timestamp: 36:42–42:14

• DeFranco asks if Pritzker is worried about Trump's promise to send National Guard or feds to interfere in state affairs and elections.

  • Pritzker (37:10): "It's unconstitutional and it's unlawful what Donald Trump is suggesting..."
  • Expresses concern that Trump’s rhetoric, even if “just bluster,” emboldens violent actors and erodes norms.

• Discusses the blurring of distractions and real harms under Trump—Democrats, he says, must "multitask" both defending democracy and addressing everyday economic needs.

9. Kitchen Table Issues vs. Distraction Politics

Timestamp: 42:14–48:37

• Pritzker argues that focusing on democracy abstractly rarely galvanizes voters; Democrats must talk about “kitchen table issues” like jobs and the economy.

  • Criticizes the Democratic campaign for focusing on democracy over tangible, daily concerns.

• Pushes back on analyses of Trump’s supposed mandate, noting the narrow margin and volatile conditions of 2024.

• DeFranco brings up divisive social “pocket glitter” issues—trans athletes, Israel/Netanyahu—Pritzker points to Republican “distraction” tactics and their failure to address real needs (healthcare, cost of living).

10. Gerrymandering Crisis & Tit-for-Tat Political Escalation

Timestamp: 48:37–54:50

• DeFranco presses Pritzker on charges of hypocrisy regarding Democratic redistricting in Illinois.
  • Pritzker (50:08): "[Texas Republicans are] taking seats away that belong to black and brown populations... to give Donald Trump a gift."
• Supports Newsom’s push in California to counter Texas, denounces the Republican abandonment of norms, and says Democrats can’t “unilaterally disarm.”
  • Pritzker (54:20): "Apparently, we're going to have to fight fire with fire... I don't want California to have to do what they're doing... But... if we have to counter as Democrats what Republicans are trying to steal in Texas, [we’re] gonna have to go to those states."

11. Lighthearted Finish—Internet Memes and the ‘Great Khan’

Timestamp: 55:17–57:24

• DeFranco closes with a fan question: How does Pritzker feel about being turned into a “Genghis Khan” meme?
  • Pritzker (55:48): "Thank God politicians don't have control over the Internet... It’s fun. It’s just a fun thing somebody did."
  • Laughs off the meme narrative of “creating Greater Illinois” and waging conquest, embracing the humor in viral politics.

Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• On Speaking Frankly about Trump:

  • “He is a vengeful narcissist. There’s no doubt about that... I’m glad I’m living rent free in his head, apparently, because he just brings my name up, you know, randomly.” (17:31)

• On Authoritarian Parallels:

  • "What happened was...the Nazis...engulf and take down a series of rights...by pointing at people...they were othered by the rhetoric..." (20:30)
  • "It was 53 days that the Nazis did that in 53 days that they took down a democracy..." (22:49)

• On Immigration Enforcement:

  • “There are masked people not identifying themselves as belonging to law enforcement who are literally kidnapping people off the streets. So...that does happen in authoritarian regimes.” (24:00)

• On Democratic Strategy:

  • “We can't unilaterally disarm. The other side gets to go raise PAC money. Well, I don't, because I'm opposed to PACs. I'm going to get elected so I can end PACs. And, unfortunately, that's where we are.” (54:24)

• On Memes and Political Celebrity:

  • “Thank God politicians don't have control over the Internet... What do I think of it? I mean, I'm. I guess I'm flattered. It's very funny...” (55:48)

Structure of Discussion (with Timestamps)

• Local Chicago culture/humor – 00:50–04:05
• Family background, activism – 04:05–10:11
• Political awakening and path – 10:11–16:07
• Trump, business/family, and personality – 16:07–19:10
• Nazi, fascism, and democracy warnings – 19:10–24:00
• ICE, law enforcement and authoritarian shifts – 24:00–32:01
• Democratic protest, engagement, clarifying "rebellion" – 35:13–36:42
• Fear of election interference, Trump tactics – 36:42–42:14
• Kitchen table issues, why Dems lost – 42:14–48:37
• Gerrymandering, GOP vs. Dem tactics – 48:37–54:50
• Memes, Khan, and online culture – 55:17–57:24

Tone and Style

• Pritzker is candid, direct, and occasionally self-deprecating, combining gravity with humor and storytelling.
• DeFranco’s interviewing style is energetic, sometimes playful, always seeking clarity and addressing common critiques.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This episode is an essential primer on the current state of American politics through a progressive, pragmatic lens. JB Pritzker offers a unique, firsthand perspective on the existential threats democracy faces, the political realities of "kitchen table" vs. “big picture” issues, and the tactical battles Democrats now wage in a post-norms political environment. Sharp, accessible, and laced with Chicago flavor, the episode is both a warning and a rallying cry to political action—without ever losing its sense of fun.