12:46Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker engages in conversation with ABC News while featured on This Week, Oct. 12, 2025.ABC News
Vice President JD Vance, making an appearance on ABC's "This Week," did not go quite as far as President Donald Trump, who claimed that Illinois Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker "should be imprisoned for not safeguarding ICE Officers!" as Pritzker and Chicago Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson are against Trump's declared intention to send National Guard forces into the city to suppress crime — and support ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) in immigration law enforcement.
During a discussion with co-anchor George Stephanopoulos, Vance hesitated to definitively state whether Pritzker had perpetrated an offense but suggested he had neglected to ensure the welfare of Chicago inhabitants and “has breached his core oath of office” which “appears quite criminal.”
Vice President JD Vance speaks with ABC News while appearing on This Week, Oct. 12, 2025.ABC News
“He ought to undergo some repercussions,” Vance informed Stephanopoulos. “Regarding whether he's committed a crime — eventually, I would leave it up to the courts, but I certainly believe that he has contravened his fundamental pledge of allegiance. That seems significantly unlawful to me. I'd leave it up to a judge and juries to determine whether he's truly violated the law,” Vance mentioned.
Following Vance’s appearance on "This Week," Pritzker communicated to Stephanopoulos that he was “not intimidated” by Trump’s assertions, which have recently escalated directed towards numerous of the president’s political rivals, notably former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
“Come and find me,” Pritzker stated, answering Trump.
“They're inventing accusations to persecute people,” Pritzker commented. “I'm intending to advocate for the people in my state. And we must all stand united since there are unquestionably unconstitutional actions being executed by this government, targeting the states and the populace of the United States, and all of us, Democrats and Republicans, should express our disapproval regarding it.”
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker speaks with ABC News while appearing on This Week, Oct. 12, 2025.ABC News
"The president does indeed make pronouncements, and sometimes he acts upon these threats, and he undeniably possesses the authority of the presidency," Pritzker further explained. "However, he lacks the jurisdiction to override the Constitution. Consequently, am I afraid? I am not frightened. Do I consider that he has the capability to proceed? He might. Nevertheless, as I've indicated before, come and get me."
When asked multiple times if he shared Trump’s assertions that Pritzker had perpetrated an offense, Vance concentrated on offenses occurring in Chicago.
"Well, I surmise that Governor Pritzker has permitted the slaughter of numerous individuals within the city of Chicago and elsewhere, George. I view it as shameful, and I undoubtedly consider that he should suffer consequences for the reality that thousands of blameless Chicago citizens have died because he failed to execute his responsibilities," Vance conveyed.
When pressed by Stephanopoulos, Vance resisted.
"It truly boils down to a "yes" or "no" reply. Do you think he's perpetrated an offense?" Stephanopoulos probed.
"George, you intend to continuously pose this question, and I intend to continuously convey to you that Governor Pritzker has failed to execute his duties," Vance responded.
Vance declared that the White House would "dispute this as extensively as we can" regarding their authority to station troops across American metropolises.
This week, a verdict from U.S. District Judge April Perry prohibited the White House from deploying National Guard troops from Illinois and Texas into the city, asserting that the administration’s justifications “lack reliability.” Vance stated that the White House has the jurisdiction to "deliver suitable security" in Chicago, however.
"We're plainly intending to contend this as extensively as we can. We are under the impression that we possess the authority to ensure appropriate security for our citizens throughout the United States, but specifically in Chicago. Though, I maintain that any federal judge or individual who observes the circumstances and asks, is it acceptable? And I believe the unambiguous response, George, is no," Vance conveyed. "The president observes the circumstances. He acknowledges the actuality that multiple individuals perish from homicides each weekend in the city of Chicago. Also, he asserts this is unacceptable."
Vance further reacted to Oklahoma Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt’s recent opposition to dispatching National Guard troops beyond state boundaries without the consent of the state obtaining them.
By articulating this, Stitt provided a rare Republican counteraction to the Trump administration’s endeavors to dispatch National Guard troops to blue-state municipalities like Chicago, where Johnson and Pritzker are contesting in court to impede the deployment of Texas Guard personnel.
Vance suggested Stitt, chair of the National Governors Association, ought to perceive Chicago as a "distinct case" due to gang violence.
"Well, I would recommend to Governor Stitt that he examines the developments transpiring on the ground in Chicago and the rationale behind Illinois being an exceptional instance … it’s because Chicago has been conceded to lawlessness and gangs for an extensive duration, George. When one observes the homicide statistics in Chicago, the violent crime statistics one encounters, women with young families are petrified that their children will be killed in a drive-by shooting," Vance stated.
"Why shouldn't federal troops enable the inhabitants of Chicago to lead secure existences? When the governor and local — the local mayor merely refuse to perform their responsibilities?" Vance appended.
Pritzker questioned those claims from the vice president.
“Well, you know, they've indicated that Portland is aflame. Portland is not on fire. In Chicago, we've halved the homicide rate. We've attained double-digit diminishments across all our violent crime metrics. He argues that we have the greatest crime rate across the entire globe. That's preposterous. We're not even among the top 25 cities within the United States,” Pritzker remarked.
Vance remains silent on whether Homan supposedly took $50,000 or the whereabouts of the funds
Independently, Vice President Vance upheld "border czar" Tom Homan when questioned regarding the precision of accounts that Homan had received $50,000 from undercover representatives impersonating business individuals during an undercover FBI undertaking last year, instigating a bribery inquiry that was consequently shut down by the Trump administration Justice Department.
The operation, which originated from a wider public corruption investigation that did not initially target Homan, guided representatives to a scenario in which they purportedly captured Homan allegedly accepting a bag containing $50,000 in currency while consenting to potentially aid the men in procuring government contracts in the occurrence that Trump secured victory in the 2024 election, sources indicated.
"Tom Homan did not secure a bribe. It's an absurd insinuation. And the justification for your relentless pursuit of Tom Homan is because he's undertaking the responsibility of upholding the law," Vance asserted when questioned by Stephanopoulos whether Homan retained the funds or gave them back.
Border Czar Tom Homan addresses the media at the White House, in Washington, September 8, 2025.Will Oliver/EPA/Shutterstock
In a September statement to ABC News, FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche verified the inquiry and stated it "was subjected to a comprehensive review by FBI agents and Justice Department prosecutors. They identified no reliable evidence of any criminal infraction."
When questioned about the accusations on Fox News in September, Homan declared, “I did nothing illegal. I did nothing against the law.”
When probed on whether Homan did or did not take the $50,000, Vance indicated that there was "no indication" the border czar partook in unlawful activity but that he considered it plausible that he’d been considerably compensated for services in the past.
“George, this narrative has been extensively detailed. He did not accept a bribe. Did he secure $50,000? I am confident that throughout Tom Homan's existence, he has received over $50,000 for services. The inquiry is, did he execute something against the law? And there's absolutely no indication that Tom Homan has ever accepted a bribe,” Vance stated.
"Did he keep those funds?" Stephanopoulos asked again concerning the allegations from the FBI probe.
"Accepting $50,000 for what action, George? I'm uncertain whether I comprehend the query," Vance responded. "Is it prohibited to receive payment for delivering services? The FBI has not arraigned him. I've never encountered any indication that he's engaged in criminal misbehavior."
"So, I'm actually not sure what the precise question is. Did he accept $50,000? Honestly, George, I don't know the answer to that question. What I do know is that he didn't violate a crime," Vance said.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
