# Ken Griffin Says the Paris Riots Should Be a 'Wake-Up Call' for Young Americans About Socialism

The Citadel founder said France spends 60% of GDP at the government level and still has turmoil in its streets. Asked about U.S. candidates, he named Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.

- Section: [Economy](https://rightnewsrightnow.com/economy/)
- Published: 2026-10-23
- By: RightNewsRightNow Staff
- Canonical page: https://rightnewsrightnow.com/articles/ken-griffin-paris-riots-wake-up-call-young-americans-socialism-pritzker/

Billionaire investor Ken Griffin says the unrest in France should push young Americans to take a hard look at socialist ideas.

What he said. Speaking on a panel at Citadel Securities' Future of Global Markets Conference, Griffin pointed to last weekend's riots. "If you want to look at where socialism leads you to, look at France this last weekend. It's the socialist dream. The country spends 60% of its GDP at the government level. And yet their streets are awash in turmoil," he said. "It's heartbreaking."

The Chicago comparison. Griffin said Paris "looked pretty damn similar to Chicago in 2021 and 2022." He called France "the dream that the left talks about, the liberal, safety net-rich, socialist Europe," and said that dream "is the nightmare I left from Chicago." He added, "A society where it comes down to how much you can take from others. And they'll first take your property, and then they'll take your personal rights."

The Pritzker answer. Asked whether he sees U.S. candidates who would take the country down that path, Griffin said, "I mean, JB Pritzker, governor of Illinois. Yes, 100%."

Background. Griffin moved Citadel's headquarters from Chicago to Miami in 2022 after nearly three decades in the Windy City. Fox Business notes he has said in the past that 25 bullet holes in the front of his building drove the decision, and that Chicago is a "failed city-state."

Note for readers: these are Griffin's opinions and comparisons, not findings. Fox Business did not include a response from Pritzker's office in the text we reviewed, and we have not checked the 60% spending figure.

## Source

Original reporting: [Fox Business](https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/ken-griffin-warns-paris-riots-should-wake-up-call-americans)