Democrats maintain a supermajority in Illinois and have for more than a decade, yet Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker is placing the blame for the state’s latest budget troubles on President Donald Trump, according to the Chicago Tribune.
On Saturday, the Illinois General Assembly passed a record-setting $55 billion budget for fiscal year 2026, which includes nearly $400 million in tax hikes and reductions to public services. While fiscal watchdogs have consistently raised concerns about mismanagement and unsustainable spending, Pritzker is attributing the state’s financial strain to what he calls the “Trump slump,” the Tribune reported.
“Donald Trump’s incomprehensible tariff policies have put a tax on our working families and dampened the nation’s economic outlook,” Pritzker said on Sunday, the outlet reported. “The Trump slump is affecting every state, and the chaos and uncertainty of the Republicans’ proposed cuts to health care and education and jobs have made budgeting, well, harder than ever before.”
The Trump Slump is affecting every state.
That’s why the Illinois General Assembly and I doubled down on fiscal responsibility.
Despite all the headwinds from DC, Illinois’ FY26 balanced budget invests in the future of our communities from education to health care. pic.twitter.com/V8FPUkn0bJ
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) June 1, 2025
Nationally, the Consumer Price Index saw a significant rise in May, though consumers are now seeing some relief from the high gas prices experienced during the Biden administration. Meanwhile, market volatility continues, driven by uncertainty over the Trump administration’s tariff policies and ongoing efforts to negotiate new trade agreements.
However, critics argue that Illinois’ fiscal challenges stem largely from Democratic-led policies, including those championed by Governor Pritzker, who has overseen a $16.7 billion increase in the state budget since taking office in 2019, according to the Illinois Policy Institute.
“Gov. Pritzker is blaming Illinois’ fiscal woes on the Trump administration, when the reality is the state’s poor economic health is due to the burdensome tax rates that have pushed businesses and residents out of the state. Pritzker has added more than 50 taxes on Illinoisans since taking office, all while growing state spending and his annual budget by $16 billion,” Bryce Hill, director of fiscal analysis for the Illinois Policy Institute, told the Daily Caller.
“With federal relief running dry, years of mismanaged and wasteful spending are just finally catching up to the state. In a time of rising prices, Pritzker and Illinois lawmakers should’ve focused on reigning in spending instead of forcing families and businesses to pay more in taxes,” he added.
The tax hikes include increases on sports betting, tobacco products, and corporate income, along with the launch of a new tax amnesty program, according to WGN9. Despite Illinois having the most underfunded pension system in the country, the new budget includes no significant reforms to address the crisis, Politico reported.
State Republicans criticized the process, saying Democrats rushed the budget through without proper debate and are deflecting blame.
“We’re rushing this process like we always do. ‘Let’s hide this stuff. Let’s hide it so that the public doesn’t see it until it’s too late,’” said Republican state Rep. John Cabello during the House debate, the Chicago Tribune reported. “Let’s blame everybody but ourselves. The Trump administration did this. The Trump administration did that. I call BS.”
