Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, once considered a rising star within the Democratic Party, has come under scrutiny as the state grapples with a significant population decline and a controversial $52.7 billion spending plan for 2025. 

Between July 2021 and July 2022, over 142,000 people left Illinois, with only New York experiencing a faster rate of population decline during the same period, the Daily Wire reports.

Former President Donald Trump recently targeted Pritzker on his Truth Social platform, stating:

Sloppy J.B. Pritzker, the Rotund Governor from the once great State of Illinois, who makes Chris Christie look like a male model, and whose family wanted him out of the business because he was so pathetic at helping them run it, has presided over the destruction and disintegration of Illinois at levels never seen before in any State. Crime is rampant and people are, sadly, fleeing Illinois. Unless a change is made at the Governor's level, Illinois can never be Great Again.

Pritzker's proposed spending plan for 2025 has raised concerns as it is expected to require substantial tax increases estimated at $898 million.

Illinois currently has the second-highest corporate income tax rate in the country, and Pritzker's budget proposal includes measures that would effectively raise taxes on retailers by $186 million and impose a hidden $93 million income tax hike on individuals, according to Bryce Hill, director of fiscal and economic research with the Illinois Policy Institute.

Critics argue Pritzker's policies, coupled with rising crime rates, have contributed to the state's population decline and economic challenges. As the governor faces mounting pressure, the future of Illinois hangs in the balance, with many questioning whether the state can recover without a change in leadership.