Democrats hold a supermajority in Illinois, but Democrat Gov. J.B. Pritzker is blaming President Donald Trump for the state’s latest budget woes, according to the Chicago Tribune.
On Saturday, the Illinois General Assembly approved a record-breaking $55 billion state budget for fiscal year 2026, which includes nearly $400 million in tax increases and cuts to services. Though fiscal watchdogs have long warned about mismanagement and unsustainable spending in Illinois, Pritzker is nevertheless blaming the state’s financial issues on the “Trump slump,” the Chicago Tribune reported.
“Donald Trump’s incomprehensible tariff policies have put a tax on our working families and dampened the nation’s economic outlook,” Pritzker said on Sunday, the outlet reported. “The Trump slump is affecting every state, and the chaos and uncertainty of the Republicans’ proposed cuts to health care and education and jobs have made budgeting, well, harder than ever before.”
The Trump Slump is affecting every state.
That’s why the Illinois General Assembly and I doubled down on fiscal responsibility.
Despite all the headwinds from DC, Illinois’ FY26 balanced budget invests in the future of our communities from education to health care. pic.twitter.com/V8FPUkn0bJ
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) June 1, 2025
Nationally, the Consumer Price Index increased sharply in May, and consumers are experiencing relief from the high gas prices during the Biden administration. At the same time, market volatility persists due to uncertainties surrounding the Trump administration’s tariff policies and ability to negotiate new trade agreements.
However, critics contend that the state’s fiscal troubles are primarily a result of policies pushed by Democrats, including Pritzker, who has presided over a $16.7 billion increase in the state budget since taking office in 2019, according to the Illinois Policy Institute.
“Gov. Pritzker is blaming Illinois’ fiscal woes on the Trump administration, when the reality is the state’s poor economic health is due to the burdensome tax rates that have pushed businesses and residents out of the state. Pritzker has added more than 50 taxes on Illinoisans since taking office, all while growing state spending and his annual budget by $16 billion,” Bryce Hill, director of fiscal analysis for the Illinois Policy Institute, told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “With federal relief running dry, years of mismanaged and wasteful spending are just finally catching up to the state. In a time of rising prices, Pritzker and Illinois lawmakers should’ve focused on reigning in spending instead of forcing families and businesses to pay more in taxes.”
The tax increases include hikes on sports betting, tobacco products, and corporations, as well as the creation of a new tax amnesty program, according to WGN9. Meanwhile, despite Illinois having the most underfunded pension system in the nation, the budget did not make any meaningful reforms to address the crisis, Politico reported.
Notably, the budget approved by state legislators did not include allocations to the Chicago Transit Authority, which faces a $770 million budget shortfall in 2026. This gap could lead to service reductions and staffing cuts for a transit system that hundreds of thousands of residents rely on.
State Republicans criticized the process, saying Democrats rushed the budget through without proper debate and are deflecting blame.
“We’re rushing this process like we always do. ‘Let’s hide this stuff. Let’s hide it so that the public doesn’t see it until it’s too late,’” said Republican state Rep. John Cabello during the House debate, the Chicago Tribune reported. “Let’s blame everybody but ourselves. The Trump administration did this. The Trump administration did that. I call BS.”
The spending plan now awaits the governor’s signature before the start of the new fiscal year on July 1.
While Pritzker is eligible to seek reelection as governor in 2026, he is rumored to be eyeing a presidential run in 2028. Unlike some other potential candidates who are moderating their positions, Pritzker appears to be embracing a more aggressive approach as he works to build his national profile.
“It’s time to fight everywhere and all at once,” Pritzker said during a speech in April. “Never before in my life have I called for mass protests, for mobilization, for disruption. But I am now. These Republicans cannot know a moment of peace.”
Pritzker’s office did not respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.
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