Key Takeaways
- • Citadel founder Ken Griffin said the riots and looting in Paris should serve as a "wake-up call" to young Americans about high-spending government policies, according to VINnews.
- • Griffin named Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker as a U.S. politician moving in a similar direction, saying "Yes, 100%" in a video clip posted on X.
- • French authorities reported more than 2,000 arrests after cost-of-living, fuel price and school-condition protests turned violent, with shops looted, vehicles and buildings set on fire, and a historic Limoges town hall damaged.
- • Griffin linked the unrest to his own decision to move the bulk of Citadel's operations and his residence from Chicago to Miami, citing crime and public-safety failures.
- • The remarks drew significant online attention after the clip was shared on Friday; the report does not include a response from Pritzker or Citadel.
Summary
Citadel founder Ken Griffin said the riots and looting that swept parts of Paris over the weekend should serve as a clear warning to young Americans about the long-term results of high-spending government policies, according to VINnews. In a video clip posted on X, Griffin described France as "the dream the left talks about" and said that vision mirrored conditions he left behind in Chicago.
Asked which U.S. politicians were moving in a similar direction, Griffin named J.B. Pritzker, Governor of Illinois, answering "Yes, 100%." He added: "I think Paris should be a real wake-up call to every single young American. That dream is the nightmare I left from Chicago. That dream doesn't belong in our country. A society that comes down to how much you can take from others."
Griffin, who moved the bulk of Citadel's operations and his own residence from Chicago to Miami, has previously cited crime, looting and public-safety failures as major factors in that decision. In the same remarks he said scenes of disorder in Paris reminded him of what he witnessed from his windows overlooking Michigan Avenue in 2021 and 2022.
French authorities reported more than 2,000 arrests after protests over the cost of living, fuel prices and school conditions turned violent. Rioters looted shops, set vehicles and buildings on fire, and damaged public property, including a historic town hall in Limoges. Overnight curfews were later imposed in central Paris and other cities. Griffin also pointed to France's high level of public spending relative to GDP as part of the backdrop for the unrest.
Asked which U.S. politicians were moving in a similar direction, Griffin named J.B. Pritzker, Governor of Illinois, answering "Yes, 100%." He added: "I think Paris should be a real wake-up call to every single young American. That dream is the nightmare I left from Chicago. That dream doesn't belong in our country. A society that comes down to how much you can take from others."
Griffin, who moved the bulk of Citadel's operations and his own residence from Chicago to Miami, has previously cited crime, looting and public-safety failures as major factors in that decision. In the same remarks he said scenes of disorder in Paris reminded him of what he witnessed from his windows overlooking Michigan Avenue in 2021 and 2022.
French authorities reported more than 2,000 arrests after protests over the cost of living, fuel prices and school conditions turned violent. Rioters looted shops, set vehicles and buildings on fire, and damaged public property, including a historic town hall in Limoges. Overnight curfews were later imposed in central Paris and other cities. Griffin also pointed to France's high level of public spending relative to GDP as part of the backdrop for the unrest.
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