Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, a billionaire and one of the Democratic Party's most prominent Jewish figures, has joined the chorus of voices blaming former President Donald Trump for every act of political violence. In a recent interview with Politico's Jonathan Martin, Pritzker claimed that the increasing violent threats he faces are a direct result of Trump's incendiary language. It's a familiar refrain, but one that conveniently ignores the growing tide of anti-Semitism from the left.
Martin pointed out that Trump himself has been the target of multiple assassination attempts, including a recent incident where a disturbed individual tried to breach the White House Correspondents' Dinner. That attacker wasn't radicalized by Trump's rhetoric—he was consuming mainstream liberal media. Yet, Pritzker's response remains stuck on factory settings: blame Trump for everything.
For all the hand-wringing over Trump's harsh words, there's surprisingly little outrage about the increasingly unhinged language from Democrats. Terms like 'Hitler' and 'fascist' are thrown at Trump daily, and it's no wonder that unstable individuals take these accusations seriously. The double standard is glaring.
But what's particularly striking is Pritzker's claim that anti-Semitic harassment aimed at him is Trump's fault. While it's true that anti-Semitism exists on the far right, the most visible and violent manifestations today come from left-wing movements. College campuses are seeing protests where Jewish students are blocked from attending classes, and leaflets celebrating the October 7th Hamas massacre are distributed. These aren't far-right rallies—they're organized by leftist groups and pro-Palestinian activists.
Pritzker would do well to call out his own side. Instead, he's doubling down on a strategy that has made Democrats increasingly unpopular with mainstream voters. Average Americans don't trust the party to stand up to its far-left fringe on issues like wokeness, extreme taxation, or political violence from groups like antifa and Black Lives Matter. The refusal to condemn anti-Semitic demonstrations on campus only deepens that distrust.
Some Democrats do manage to break ranks. Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania has been a vocal critic of the far left, but he's now being ostracized by his own party. There's speculation he could switch parties before his next election, a sign of how toxic the party's internal dynamics have become for moderates.
As Trump's counterterrorism plan targets left-wing 'violent secular' groups, the administration is taking steps that Democrats should welcome—but they're too busy blaming Trump for everything. Meanwhile, the president's Iran strategy, including threats of escalated strikes unless Tehran accepts peace terms, shows a focus on foreign policy that contrasts with the domestic chaos Democrats are fueling.
At some point, Democratic leaders must confront the radicals in their midst. Until they do, their credibility on issues like anti-Semitism and political violence will remain hollow.
