Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) warned of a “five-alarm fire” on Wednesday as he likened President Donald Trump’s administration to Nazi Germany in an explosive speech.
“We don’t have kings in America and I don’t intend to bend the knee to one,” declared Pritzker in his State of the State address.
The comments from Pritzker arrived just minutes before the president seemingly compared himself to a “king” on his Truth Social platform and days after he ripped an apocryphal quote from Napoleon where he declared that “he who saves his Country violates no Law.”
Earlier in the speech, Pritzker called out Trump as well as billionaire Elon Musk over the administration’s federal cost-cutting crusade and warned that the state budget “can’t make up for the damage that is done” to those in Illinois, adding that red state governors are also dealing with the impact of cuts.
Pritzker — who helped create the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center — went on to touch on the history of neo-Nazis in the state who failed to march in Skokie, a community that was noted for its population of Holocaust survivors, in 1978.
“The root that tears apart your house’s foundation begins as a seed, a seed of distrust and hate and blame. The seed that grew into a dictatorship in Europe a lifetime ago didn’t arrive overnight, it started with everyday Germans mad about inflation and looking for someone to blame,” he said.
“I’m watching with a foreboding dread what is happening in our country right now.”
The governor later returned to speak on Nazi Germany, noting that it took the Nazis less than two months to “dismantle a constitutional republic.”
“And all I’m saying is that when the five-alarm fire starts to burn, every good person better be ready to man a post with a bucket of water if you want to stop it from raging out of control,” he said.
Pritzker again reflected on the Nazis’ failed march in Skokie and how an attempt to hold the event in Chicago was met with thousands of counter-protesters.
“It was Illinoisans who smothered those embers before they could burn into a flame,” he said.
“Tyranny requires your fear and your silence and your compliance. Democracy requires your courage. So gather your justice and humanity, Illinois, and do not let the tragic spirit of despair overcome us when our country needs us the most.”
Go Ad-Free — And Protect The Free Press
The next four years will change America forever. But HuffPost won’t back down when it comes to providing free and impartial journalism.
For the first time, we’re offering an ad-free experience to qualifying contributors who support our fearless newsroom. We hope you’ll join us.
You’ve supported HuffPost before, and we’ll be honest — we could use your help again. We won’t back down from our mission of providing free, fair news during this critical moment. But we can’t do it without you.
For the first time, we’re offering an ad-free experience. to qualifying contributors who support our fearless journalism. We hope you’ll join us.
You’ve supported HuffPost before, and we’ll be honest — we could use your help again. We won’t back down from our mission of providing free, fair news during this critical moment. But we can’t do it without you.
For the first time, we’re offering an ad-free experience. to qualifying contributors who support our fearless journalism. We hope you’ll join us.
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.