Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) revealed for the first time on Monday that he has been taking a GLP-1 medication for weight loss and has lost 80 pounds so far.
“I have an opportunity, just with the platform that I have as governor, to tell people that this is something that can work for them,” Pritzker said in an interview with CBS News. “I think they should do it with the doctor’s advice, but I can tell you, at least for me, it has been really life-changing.”
Illinois’ state employees also have GLP-1s covered on their insurance plans, a policy Pritzker said will save the state money because “people will be less overweight, which causes so many other diseases.”
The Illinois governor previously remained mum about the reason behind his weight loss, telling Politico in August 2025, “how about, just for health,” when he was asked about being noticeably slimmer.
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Pritzker, who is widely considered a potential 2028 presidential candidate, was diagnosed with diabetes two years ago. The two-term governor brushed off a question from CBS News’ David Begnaud about whether using a GLP-1 had anything to do with cultivating his image so he can run for president.
“I’ve been driven my whole life to lose weight,” Pritzker replied — adding that he has “not made any decisions” about what offices he’ll pursue in the future because he is focused on seeking his third term as Illinois governor.
Pritzker said his father died suddenly at the age of 39 while playing tennis, and “he was actually quite an active person, even though he was overweight.”
Pritzker said he had been overweight for most of his life, but the high pressure governor’s gig caused him to put on more weight, which led to negative attention.
President Donald Trump called Pritzker a “big, fat slob” in November 2025 as he talked about sending National Guard troops to Chicago to combat crime and make it a “safe city” — a policy Pritzker strongly opposed.
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