Trump mocks Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s weight during White House turkey pardon event

Trump used the turkey pardon event to mock Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s weight

The annual White House turkey pardon took a sharp political turn on Tuesday when President Donald Trump used part of his remarks to criticize Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker while discussing Chicago’s violent crime issues and the state’s refusal to request federal help.

After pardoning Waddle and Gobble, Trump brought up last week’s assault on a 26-year-old woman aboard a Chicago L train, arguing that both the city and state “ought to invite us” to help address worsening violence.

He accused Illinois leaders of allowing the situation to deteriorate.

Trump then referenced a joke prepared by his speechwriters, saying he “wasn’t going to talk about Pritzker’s size,” before immediately adding, “The governor is … a big, fat slob,” a line delivered with a deliberate pause.

🚨BREAKING: Trump calls Illinois Governor JB Pritzker “a fat slob”:

“I don't talk about people being fat. I refuse to talk about the fact that he's a fat slob.”

Trump is a 5th grade bully who apparently…needs a mirror.

pic.twitter.com/zvPhjsipjX

— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) November 25, 2025

He followed it with a self-deprecating aside that he “would like to lose a few pounds too.”

The exchange adds to the ongoing tension between the two men. Earlier this year, Trump remarked that Pritzker “ought to spend more time in the gym,” prompting the governor to respond, “it takes one to know one.”

A ceremony typically known for lighthearted Thanksgiving humor instead underscored the increasingly hostile relationship between the Trump administration and Illinois’ Democratic leadership.