Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has publicly refuted claims that he compared former President Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler, after the remark circulated widely on social media and in conservative media outlets. Speaking during an interview on MSNBC’s Deadline: White House with Nicole Wallace, Pritzker stressed that his words were taken out of context and distorted to create controversy.

“I never said Donald Trump was Hitler. What I said was that we’ve seen in history how authoritarians rise to power by dividing people and spreading fear — and that’s something Americans must guard against,” Pritzker clarified. He added that his comments were meant as a general warning about democracy and not a personal comparison.

The clarification comes amid escalating political tensions between Trump and Pritzker, who have repeatedly clashed over federal immigration enforcement and the deployment of National Guard troops in Chicago. Trump has labeled Pritzker a “failed governor” and accused him of obstructing federal law enforcement, while Pritzker has criticized Trump’s approach as “dangerous and un-American.”

Political analysts note that the uproar reflects the broader polarization of American politics, where rhetoric is often amplified and weaponized across party lines. Pritzker’s remarks also highlight a growing concern among Democrats about the rise of authoritarian discourse, though his insistence on nuance underscores the difficulty of discussing historical parallels without triggering backlash.

Despite the controversy, Pritzker reiterated his focus on “defending democratic values and protecting the people of Illinois from political extremism.” Trump’s campaign has not yet responded to Pritzker’s latest clarification.