Governor Pritzker Shares Weight Loss Success With GLP-1 Drug
WHO:
CBS News - Illinois Governor JB Pritzker
CNN - Pritzker is a billionaire heir to the Hyatt hotels fortune.
CNN - Pritzker's father, Donald Pritzker, died of a heart attack at age 39.
WHAT:
CNN - Pritzker discussed his struggles with obesity, stating, “I’ve been driven my whole life to lose weight.”
CNN - Pritzker mentioned that during the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump mocked him for his weight, saying Pritzker “wants to eat all the time.”
CNN - Pritzker stated, “I feel a whole lot different, and a whole lot better” after losing weight.
CNN - Pritzker has been overweight since he was 7 or 8 years old and gained more weight during his time as Illinois governor.
CNN - Pritzker mentioned, “I’ve been driven my whole life to lose weight,” regarding his motivation for using the GLP-1 medication.
CNN - Pritzker did not directly answer whether the prospect of a 2028 presidential campaign influenced his decision to use the GLP-1 medication.
CBS News - Pritzker has been using a GLP-1 medication for weight loss for the last two years.
CNN - Pritzker has lost 80 pounds while using the GLP-1 medication.
CNN - Pritzker stated, “I have an opportunity, just with the platform I have as governor, to tell people that this is something that can work for them.”
CNN - Pritzker lost two pounds in the first week on the medication.
CNN - The Illinois state employee insurance plan is covering GLP-1 medications.
WHERE:
CNN - Pritzker walks four miles along Lake Michigan almost every morning.
WHEN:
CNN - Pritzker was diagnosed with diabetes two years ago.
CNN - Pritzker is seeking a third term as governor and is seen as a potential contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination.
WHY:
CNN - Pritzker pointed to his reelection bid this fall as a current focus, stating he has “not made any decisions about what I might do in the future.”
CNN - Pritzker pointed to his reelection bid this fall as a current focus, stating he has “not made any decisions about what I might do in the future.”
CNN - Pritzker started the GLP-1 medication after being advised by a doctor due to his diabetes diagnosis.
CNN - Pritzker believes covering GLP-1 medications will save money because “fewer people will have diabetes. People will be less overweight, which causes so many other diseases.”
HOW:
CNN - Pritzker described the GLP-1 medication as “life-changing” and mentioned that it helped end his food cravings.
(UPDATED September 21, 2026 19:58 UTC)
Pritzker opened up about his lifelong struggles with obesity, sharing that he has always been driven to lose weight. He recalled how during the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump mocked him for his weight, claiming Pritzker “wants to eat all the time.” As he gears up for his reelection bid this fall, Pritzker emphasized that he has not made any decisions about his future plans.
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(UPDATED September 21, 2026 18:00 UTC)
Pritzker expressed feeling significantly better after losing weight, stating, “I feel a whole lot different, and a whole lot better.” He has struggled with his weight since childhood and noted that his motivation for using the GLP-1 medication has always been driven by a desire to lose weight. While he pointed to his reelection bid this fall as his current focus, he did not directly address whether thoughts of a 2028 presidential campaign influenced his decision to use the medication.
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(UPDATED September 21, 2026 17:02 UTC)
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, a billionaire heir to the Hyatt hotels fortune, has been using a GLP-1 medication for weight loss for the past two years and has successfully lost 80 pounds. Pritzker, who was diagnosed with diabetes two years ago, walks four miles along Lake Michigan almost every morning and believes that covering GLP-1 medications through the state employee insurance plan will ultimately save money by reducing diabetes and related health issues. Describing the medication as “life-changing,” he emphasized its impact on his food cravings and expressed his desire to share this experience with others, stating, “I have an opportunity, just with the platform I have as governor, to tell people that this is something that can work for them.”