Illinois governor JB Pritzker has disclosed that he has lost 80lb after beginning a GLP-1 drug regimen, in what is being viewed as his clearest indication yet that he may be considering a run for the US presidency in 2028.
Mr Pritzker, a billionaire heir to the Hyatt hotel fortune, made the revelation during an interview broadcast on CBS Mornings. He said he had started taking a GLP-1 in 2024, alongside a new fitness routine.
“I’ve been driven my whole life to lose weight,” Mr Pritzker said. “The fact that I am now able to do it because this GLP-1 became available is truly like, I mean, it’s something that has meant a lot to me.”
His comments come as he has travelled to states that hold early presidential primaries and established a political group to spend money supporting Democrats in this year’s midterm elections.
Mr Pritzker has not confirmed any plans to seek the White House. He is running for a third term as Illinois governor and is widely regarded as the favourite against Darren Bailey, the Republican former state legislator he defeated by 13 percentage points in 2022.
“I have not made any decisions about what I might do in the future,” Mr Pritzker said. “I can tell you, I want to be the governor of the state of Illinois for a while longer.”
He said doctors had warned him two years ago that he had reached diabetic status and would need to begin insulin injections. In response, he introduced regular predawn four-mile walks in Chicago and began taking a GLP-1. An aide said he had since lost enough weight to stop taking insulin.
GLP-1 drugs are now being used by roughly 11 per cent of American adults, and the treatment could help Mr Pritzker present a more relatable image to Democratic voters wary of the ultra-wealthy.
Other potential presidential candidates have also lost significant amounts of weight before campaigns. They include Chris Christie and Jeb Bush in 2016, and Cory Booker in 2020. Al Gore’s weight loss in 2007 prompted speculation that he might seek the presidency again, although he did not run in 2008.
Mr Pritzker has frequently clashed with President Donald Trump, who last year told him he “ought to spend more time in the gym”. Mr Trump, who has acknowledged that he is overweight, said in January that he “probably should” take anti-obesity drugs but had not done so.
In a separate interview, Mr Pritzker said that he and the president had both struggled with their weight. “Oh, by the way, he’s overweight,” he said of Mr Trump. “But I don’t really talk about that publicly.”
Mr Pritzker did not say which GLP-1 drug he was taking or disclose his current weight. He said he hoped to continue losing weight.
