CHICAGO (WTVO) — Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker sharply criticized President Donald Trump ahead of his expected visit to the Chicago area for the 2026 Presidents Cup golf tournament.
Trump has accepted an invitation to serve as honorary chairman of the international golf competition, which will be held Sept. 22-27 at Medinah Country Club’s Course No. 3 in suburban DuPage County. The tournament will feature a team of players from the United States competing against an International Team made up of players from outside Europe.
In a statement released Tuesday, Pritzker accused Trump of repeatedly attacking Chicago and Illinois while supporting federal immigration enforcement actions in the state.
“Donald Trump has attacked Chicago and Illinois at every turn of his term, like joking about the smell of deportations in the morning and sending masked agents into our neighborhoods,” Pritzker said. “Now, he wants to come here for golf.”
The governor said Trump should use the visit to address Illinois residents’ concerns about the economy rather than remaining at the private country club.
“He is neither wanted here nor needed here,” Pritzker said. “But if he is going to spend time in DuPage County, he can leave the country club and explain to Illinoisans why his tariffs have made groceries, electricity, and everything else too damned expensive.”
Pritzker predicted Trump would instead attend the tournament, criticize Chicago and leave the area without addressing those concerns.
“He will watch golf, he will call our city names, and he will get on a plane,” Pritzker said. “And every day he is here, and every day after he leaves, I will keep doing what I have done since the day his agents showed up: use every tool I have at my disposal to protect the people of Illinois. He knows where to find me. We are ready for this fight.”
The PGA Tour announced Trump’s honorary chairman role on Aug. 29. PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp said Trump’s participation continues the tournament’s history of involving presidents, prime ministers and other world leaders.
“We are grateful to President Trump for accepting our invitation to serve as Honorary Chairman for the 2026 Presidents Cup,” Rolapp said. “The Presidents Cup has a proud tradition of engaging world leaders from across the globe and across political lines, and President Trump’s involvement continues that legacy.”
Rolapp said Trump’s participation would help elevate the event internationally and support the tournament’s goal of bringing people together through golf.
Trump said in a statement distributed by the PGA Tour that he was honored to accept the position and planned to attend the competition.
“This will be a particularly exciting event,” Trump said. “Both teams are loaded with talent. I look forward to being there, and greeting all of these fantastic athletes, on both teams.”
The 2026 event will mark the second time Trump has served as honorary chairman of the Presidents Cup. He previously held the ceremonial position in 2017, when the competition was played at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey. Trump participated in the trophy presentation after the United States won that year’s competition.
Other former honorary chairmen have included Presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau served in the role when the tournament was held in Montreal in 2024.
The United States has dominated the Presidents Cup since the competition began in 1994, recording 13 victories in 15 tournaments. The International Team has won once, while one competition ended in a tie. The United States is the defending champion after defeating the International Team in Montreal in 2024.
Medinah Country Club has previously hosted several major golf events, including the 2012 Ryder Cup, two PGA Championships and three U.S. Opens.
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