2,422 videos 1,389,747,653 views US Joined Aug 30, 2018
Charlie Kirk is the Founder and President of Turning Point USA, the largest and fastest growing conservative youth activist organization in the country with over 250,000 student members, over 150 full-time staff, and a presence on over 2,000 high school and college campuses nationwide. Charlie is also the Chairman of Students for Trump, which aims to activate one million new college voters on campuses in battleground states in the lead up to the 2020 presidential election. His social media reaches over 100 million people per month and according to Axios, he is one of the "top 10 most engaged" Twitter handles in the world. He is also the host of “The Charlie Kirk Show,” which regularly ranks among the top news shows on Apple podcast charts.
Charlie Kirk Warns JB Pritzker Presidential Run Could Bring Illinois-Style Lockdowns to America
Charlie Kirk sits down with reporter William Kelly to discuss Illinois Governor JB Pritzker's apparent presidential ambitions and what his candidacy could mean for America. With Pritzker positioning himself as the anti-Trump and openly discussing his agenda at activist events, Kirk draws parallels to another Illinois politician who rose from state senator to president: Barack Obama. Kelly, who regularly covers Pritzker's press conferences, warns that the governor who locked down Illinois churches, schools, and businesses while allowing riots and looting could bring that same authoritarian approach to the White House. The conversation examines Pritzker's record, his family's wealth, his immigration policies that include driver's licenses for illegal aliens, and the broader demographic shifts facing Democrat-run states losing population and congressional seats.
Charlie Kirk opens the segment by examining where the Democrat party is heading as they search for their next presidential candidate. Will they choose someone like Gavin Newsom who presents as moderate while governing as a radical, or will they double down on their progressive agenda? The answer may lie with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who despite his state's failures, appears to be positioning himself for a White House run.
Kirk introduces William Kelly from reporterwilliamjkelly.com, who regularly attends Pritzker's press conferences and has observed the governor's increasingly presidential tone. Kirk plays footage of Pritzker speaking at the Human Rights Coalition, where the governor discussed his mother taking him to pride events and declared himself "living proof that introducing your kids to the gay agenda might result in them growing up to be governor."
A Warning About Underestimating Illinois Politicians
William Kelly immediately confirms that Pritzker is running for president, noting that the governor no longer talks like someone who cares about Illinois residents but rather positions himself as the anti-Trump. Kelly issues a stark warning to those who might dismiss Pritzker's chances, drawing a direct comparison to another Illinois politician many once laughed at: Barack Obama.
"I warned a lot of people about this state senator who became a US senator named Barack Obama. They laughed. They laughed so hard," Kelly explains. "The fact of the matter is that a lot of horrible viruses come out of not only Wuhan but Chicago, Charlie, and don't think that we might not have a President Pritzker on our hands very soon if we're not careful."
Running on the Destruction of Illinois
Kirk questions what Pritzker could possibly run on given his record of destroying what was once one of America's greatest states. Kelly responds that Pritzker fashions himself as someone who "fights Nazis," noting the governor's obsession with Nazi references. Kelly points out the double standard, stating that if he made equivalent statements about Pritzker, he would be charged with a hate crime and face 45 to 90 years in prison.
The conversation turns personal for Kirk, who lived through Pritzker's lockdowns in Illinois. Kirk recounts how Pritzker locked down the entire state, including absurd restrictions like allowing only two people per boat in Lake County. Kirk's wife Erika has told him that if Pritzker runs for president, it will be the most personal race ever for their family given their contempt for what Pritzker did to Illinois.
The Pritzker Family's Wealth and Connections
Kelly delves into the Pritzker family background, mentioning that even minimal investigation reveals connections to NGOs worth millions or billions of dollars. He references efforts to verify information about Epstein flight logs connected to the family, though he acknowledges the difficulty in obtaining all the necessary information. Despite these concerning connections, Pritzker presents himself as morally superior and tolerant at his press conferences, demonstrating what Kelly calls masterful gaslighting.
The Authoritarian Record Nobody Should Forget
Kelly provides a detailed account of Pritzker's authoritarian governance during the pandemic. The governor locked down Illinois schools and churches in ways Kelly never thought possible in America. Kelly and his camera crew went out every night documenting the situation, witnessing looting and riots that Pritzker notably did not lock down. The governor who campaigned as charming and business-friendly revealed his true nature the moment he had the opportunity to exercise authoritarian control.
"When he campaigned, he was very, very charming, very, you know, talking business. And you know, a lot of people thought, well, in Illinois, maybe this is as good as it's going to get," Kelly explains. "The second he had the opportunity to lock it down and loot it, he did with a zeal that honestly, to quote his favorite chapter in history, looked pretty Nazi-like."
Democrat Governors Presiding Over Population Collapse
Kirk presents data showing the projected congressional reapportionment coming into 2030, revealing a stark pattern of failure among potential Democrat presidential candidates. California is on pace to lose four congressional seats, Illinois will lose one, Wisconsin one, Minnesota one, and New York two. Meanwhile, Republican-governed states are gaining: Arizona one seat, Texas four, and Florida four. All the Democrats positioning themselves for presidential runs—Tim Walz, JB Pritzker, and Gavin Newsom—are losing population, a major symbol of their governance failures.
The Replacement Strategy in Illinois
Kelly believes Pritzker thinks the migrants he has allowed into Illinois will reverse the population decline and congressional seat losses. The governor wants illegal aliens to vote in local elections, and Kelly connects this to what he calls the replacement theory that many once dismissed. In Illinois, illegal aliens now receive driver's licenses that are indistinguishable from those carried by citizens, not the special licenses from years past.
"Who's going to tell migrants, non-citizens, illegal aliens that they can't vote in a federal election?" Kelly asks. While President Trump has worked to prevent non-citizen voting in federal elections, Kelly reports that Pritzker is spending millions or billions to ensure it happens. The governor's agenda extends far beyond Illinois.
How Much Would Pritzker Spend to Become President?
In the final exchange, Kirk asks how much money Pritzker would spend to make himself president. Kelly's response is chilling: "He would spend all the money that you have. He'll take all your money and spend it on his campaign for president." With Pritzker worth an estimated $3 billion, Kelly confirms the governor would spend at least a billion dollars like Michael Bloomberg did, "and then some."
Kirk acknowledges that while they joke during the conversation—because humor is the only way to prevent becoming too angry or sad—the threat is deadly serious. Kelly agrees, noting that while Illinois hasn't taken away his ability to joke yet, Americans need to take the prospect of a Pritzker presidency with the utmost seriousness. A governor who locked down churches, schools, and businesses while allowing riots and looting could bring that same authoritarian approach to the entire nation.
