Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker delivered a speech at the 141st annual Gridiron Club and Foundation Awards in Washington, where he acknowledged his rapid weight loss and joked about former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, another 2028 presidential hopeful, during a speech before Washington journalists and dignitaries. The event was also attended by over 560 journalists, media executives, lawmakers, diplomats and military officers. Attendees included four governors, six members of Congress and several ambassadors. The Gridiron club has invited every president since Grover Cleveland to speak but the Trump administration declined. The awards show also featured political parodies, with members playing characters from the White House's East Wing and the emerging presidential field for 2028.