In a sharp escalation of political tensions, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has publicly called for invoking the 25th Amendment to remove President Donald Trump from office. This comes just days after Trump suggested that cities like Chicago could serve as "training grounds" for the military, a remark that Pritzker likened to authoritarian tactics reminiscent of Vladimir Putin. The governor's statement, delivered during a press conference on October 1, 2025, underscores growing Democratic concerns over the president's rhetoric and recent federal actions in Democratic-led urban areas.
The 25th Amendment, ratified in 1967, addresses presidential succession and disability. It allows the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet—or another body designated by Congress—to declare the president unable to discharge his duties, temporarily transferring power to the vice president. Pritzker argued that Trump's comments reveal a deeper instability, stating there is "something genuinely wrong with this man." He pointed to the president's floated idea of deploying troops to cities as not just provocative, but a potential threat to constitutional norms.
However, the backdrop involves the Department of Homeland Security's moves in Illinois. Just prior, on September 30, DHS sought to deploy 100 military troops to protect Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in the Chicago area, amid protests outside a Broadview detention center. Pritzker decried this as an "attack on the Constitution," warning that it consolidates federal power in ways that endanger local autonomy. Federal agents, some masked and armed, have already paraded through downtown Chicago, drawing accusations of overreach from state officials like Attorney General Kwame Raoul, who hinted at legal challenges.
Indeed, Trump's September 30 address to military leaders amplified these fears, promising troops would arrive "very soon" to Democrat-run cities. Pritzker's response has garnered praise from some quarters for its boldness, though critics dismiss it as partisan theater. Moreover, the governor compared the moves to Putin's playbook, emphasizing how such deployments could suppress dissent rather than enhance security.
Yet, invoking the 25th Amendment remains a high bar, requiring broad consensus within the administration—something unlikely given Trump's loyal inner circle. As these clashes unfold, one wonders if this rhetoric will bridge divides or deepen the nation's fractures.
