President Donald Trump’s Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller took aim at Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, accusing him of inciting violence after he called for mass protests against the Trump administration.
Pritzker made his remarks Sunday at the New Hampshire Democratic Party’s McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club Dinner. He criticized Trump but largely focused on the shortcomings of his own party — calling some “do-nothing Democrats.” He urged more action against Trump in the midst of mass layoffs in the federal government, sweeping tariffs and mass deportations.
“Never before in my life have I called for mass protests, for mobilization, for disruption, but I am now,” Pritzker said, stressing the party “must castigate them on the soapbox and then punish them at the ballot box.”
In response, Miller cited assassination attempts and threats against Trump and said “the destruction of property sits directly adjacent to attacks on humans.”
“His comments, if nothing else, could be construed as inciting violence,” Miller said when a reporter asked about Pritzker’s remarks. “This war that Democrat governors and mayors are waging against federal law enforcement. I mean, this is nullificationist behavior. This is secessionist behavior.”
Pritzker responded to Miller’s claims Monday, defending his comments and saying Miller misrepresented his speech.
“He wasn’t listening to my speech at all,” Pritzker said. “I called on people to take out their megaphones and the microphones, to stand up on soapboxes and get to the ballot box in order to defeat the people who were trying to take so many things away from the American people.”