Democrat Governor Pledges To Prosecute Trump Officials In So-Called ‘Project 2029’

Illinois Governor JB Prtizker — who has long been seen as a potential presidential contender in 2028 — recently laid out his plans to launch politically-motivated prosecutions targeting Trump officials, a strategy he referred to as “Project 2029.”

While speaking with the New York Times, Pritzker framed the plan as a “forward-looking framework” for Democrats aiming to regain national power after the 2028 election. Pritzker, who has served as governor since 2019 and has frequently clashed with the Trump administration on issues including immigration enforcement, described the project as a necessary response to political lessons from recent years.

When asked to describe a Project 2029 agenda, Pritzker claimed he was seeking to restore the “rule of law” by targeting political opponents.

“I don’t think you can speak of it in shorthand, but we’ve got to restore the rule of law, and that means holding people accountable who’ve broken the law,” he said, failing to provide examples. “I’m talking about the people in this administration who’ve broken the law and federal agents who’ve broken the law need to be held accountable.”

When asked whether this included criminal prosecution, Pritzker replied, “Criminally prosecuted, civilly prosecuted. Whatever it is that we can do.” He added that civil actions could serve as an alternative where criminal charges might not apply.

Democratic Illinois Governor JB Pritzker speaks about a Democratic "Project 2029" in which members of the current Trump administration, along with federal agents, will be criminally and civilly prosecuted.

"Whatever it is that we can do. It may be that you cannot criminally… pic.twitter.com/0bj1dVyUyf

— AF Post (@AFpost) March 19, 2026

These statements align with actions Pritzker has taken in Illinois. In October 2025, he issued an executive order creating the Illinois Accountability Commission to document alleged misconduct by federal immigration agents during the Trump administration’s “Operation Midway Blitz,” a series of enforcement operations in the Chicago area.

The commission collects public reports, videos, testimonies, and other evidence to create a public record. In January 2026, Pritzker specifically requested that the commission expand its review to examine the roles of senior Trump administration officials. The named individuals include Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff for policy; White House border czar Tom Homan; Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem; and Gregory Bovino, a former commander at large for U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.

“Kristi Noem needs to go. Stephen Miller needs to go. The monsters responsible for unleashing this havoc on American cities need to be investigated and prosecuted,” the governor said in a prior statement.

As of March 2026, no charges have resulted from the commission’s work, which remains in the documentation phase.

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