Fox News Host Bret Baier Challenges Illinois Gov. Pritzker Over Chicago's High Murder Rate

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker was confronted by Fox News host Bret Baier regarding Chicago's murder rate, which Baier highlighted as the highest among major U.S. cities. Despite Pritzker's claims that Chicago is not in the top 30 for murder rates and that violent crime has decreased significantly, Baier presented data showing Chicago ranked number one with a murder rate of 17.47 per 100,000 people, surpassing cities like Philadelphia, Houston, and New York. Research from Wirepoints indicated Chicago had 573 murders in 2024, the highest total among major cities, although its per capita rate ranked sixth behind smaller cities like St. Louis. Pritzker defended his record by citing investments in community violence interruption and increased state police presence, but Baier challenged his narrative by emphasizing the severity of the city's crime statistics. Critics, including White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, have pointed to Chicago's sustained high murder rates as a failure of Pritzker's leadership, noting the city's murder rate is significantly higher than other large cities. The exchange underscored the ongoing debate over crime and public safety in Chicago amid political tensions.