President Donald Trump is once again at the center of a familiar political clash, with tensions surfacing in a way that suggests this feud never really left the stage. He has created enemies all over the world, but it’s often the ones closer to home who refuse to let things slide — and this time, the tension is coming from a familiar place. President Donald Trump speaks with the media as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth looks on aboard Air Force One during a flight from Dover, Delaware, to Miami, Florida, on March 7, 2026. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images) Trump has found himself in the rhetorical crosshairs of Illinois Gov. Jay Robert “JB” Pritzker once again. The long-running back-and-forth between Trump, 79, and Pritzker, 61, has been trading barbs for years, and the latest round kicked off on the night of March 17 after the Hyatt heir locked in his third Democratic nomination for Illinois governor without opposition. Pritzker didn’t waste the moment in his victory speech, taking a direct swipe at the POTUS himself. ‘What the Hell’: The White House Claims Trump’s Measurements Match Pro Athletes, but a New Photo Is About to Ruin That Theory During his victory speech, Pritzker christened Trump with two brutal new nicknames while speaking on the chaos from his administration. “Everything we care about is under siege from Washington right now. Grifters of corruption and selfishness, purveyors of bigotry and hatred have taken control of the White House and the Congress,” Pritzker stated to the room filled with his supporters. He continued, “Their purpose is to make themselves and their dear leader richer and to do it at the expense of the powerless and the most vulnerable. The Carnival Barker in Chief. Oh, sorry. I meant the Commander in Thief says there’s no federal money for health care and food assistance for families in need.” The former congressional staffer went on to slam Trump for sending masked federal immigration agents “with assault weapons onto the streets of Illinois to terrorize Americans” while cutting funding for social safety net programs. View on Threads Pritzker’s most recent takedown of the MAGA leader received praise from his constituents and Trump’s online critics. One person on Threads exclaimed, “Commander in thief! Love it, so perfect. Go JB.” Another said, “U funny Uncle JB commander and thief.” While another person chimed in, ” OMG that was funny.” Over on YouTube, a commenter saluted the head of the Illinois government with an enthusiastic reply that read, “Go Governor Pritzker!!! The voice of reason!!!” and “LOL Perfectly said.” Those conflicting responses to the most recent put-down in the Pritzker versus Trump beef reflect the longstanding friction between the two adversaries. Commander-in-Thief. https://t.co/pARgygCYu2— JB Pritzker (@JBPritzker) March 18, 2026 Most recently, the president faced blowback over a GOP post featuring an AI-generated image of Pritzker in caricature form, wearing a bright red bib while seated before a towering table of fast food, holding a stacked double cheeseburger in one hand and a thick slice of pepperoni pizza with cheese dripping over the crust in the other. The spread also included a few of Trump’s favorites: a jumbo bucket of chicken, overloaded nachos, spaghetti and meatballs, loaded hot dogs, and a root beer float crowned with whipped cream and chocolate pieces on top. .@JBPritzker pic.twitter.com/D5xjEgiafD— GOP (@GOP) February 14, 2026 Trump, who implausibly claims to weigh around 224 pounds, infamously mocked Pritzker’s rounder physique as he hosted the annual White House turkey pardon ceremony last November, further generating countless headlines about their ongoing spat. “Some speechwriter wrote some joke about his weight. But I would never want to talk about his weight,” Trump said after mentioning Pritzker by name. “I don’t talk about people being fat. I refuse to talk about the fact that he’s a fat slob; I don’t mention it.” But the rivalry between the extremely wealthy tycoons dates back to the 1990s following a legal dispute over the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City. Trump on JB Pritzker:I would never want to talk about his weight.I don't talk about people being fat.I refuse to talk about the fact that he is a fat slob. pic.twitter.com/dwnjJ7hjUf— Clash Report (@clashreport) November 25, 2025 “They had a 50/50 partnership, and the Pritzkers wanted to renovate the hotel, and it was at a bad time for Trump,” Richard Peiser, professor of real estate development at Harvard Graduate School of Design, told SAN in 2025. Trump filed a $500 million lawsuit against the Pritzker family, and the Pritzkers later filed a $100 million countersuit over the planned renovations to the Grand Hyatt. Both sides reached a confidential settlement in 1995 before Hyatt eventually bought out Trump’s 50 percent stake in the Midtown Manhattan hotel for $140 million. Trump’s $500 million lawsuit against the Pritzker family over the Grand Hyatt triggered a $100 million countersuit before a quiet 1995 settlement and his $140 million buyout. The bad blood later turned political, with Pritzker criticizing Trump’s COVID-19 response and, by 2025, taking a personal jab in a school video suggesting students showed more discipline than the sitting president. “They get to learn every day about these classroom rules, and they follow them. I have to say there are a few in here [that] I think the leaders in Washington ought to learn. Like, for example, listen carefully. Maybe treat each other with respect. And, of course, make good decisions,” Pritzker advised. His theory is not 100% off, considering Trump has been accused of throwing child-like tantrums during briefings when things don’t go his way or when First Lady Melania receives more attention than he does. ‘OMG …Perfectly Said’: Trump Tried to Break His Rival with a Public Humiliation Meant to Make Him Bow — Instead, It Blows Up in His Face and Triggers a Much Nastier, Personal Response ...read more read less