Hakeem Jeffries pledges Democrats will ‘fight’ Trump agenda ‘in the streets’
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat from New York, is facing backlash from Republicans after vowing to resist President Donald Trump’s agenda “in the streets.” Jeffries made the controversial statement during a press conference in Brooklyn, where he criticized the Trump administration’s federal funding freeze and its response to a recent aircraft collision in Washington, DC.
In his remarks, Jeffries accused the Trump administration of pushing an “extreme MAGA Republican agenda” that prioritizes tax cuts for the wealthy at the expense of everyday Americans. He pledged to fight this agenda through legislative means, in the courts, and by taking to the streets.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, a Republican from Minnesota, wasted no time in calling for Jeffries to apologize for his “inflammatory and extreme rhetoric.” Emmer argued that President Trump and the Republicans are focused on uniting the country and accused Jeffries of trying to divide it.
The White House also weighed in on the controversy, with a senior official demanding that Jeffries apologize for his “disgraceful call to violence.” The Trump administration’s Office of Management and Budget had recently issued a memo pausing most federal funding and directing agencies to review spending, sparking widespread criticism and legal challenges.
Despite the pushback, Jeffries stood by his remarks, crediting Democrats with successfully opposing the federal funding freeze. He emphasized the importance of standing up to what he called the “Republican rip-off agenda” and vowed never to surrender in the face of such challenges.
The White House later clarified that the funding freeze targeted by the OMB memo was related to progressive causes blocked by Trump’s executive orders. However, a federal judge blocked the memo, leading to its eventual rescission. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified that while the memo was rescinded, funding blocks established by Trump’s executive orders remained in effect.
In conclusion, Hakeem Jeffries’ pledge to fight President Trump’s agenda has sparked controversy and calls for him to apologize. The clash highlights the deep political divisions in Washington and the ongoing battle over key policy issues.
