White House calls on Hakeem Jeffries to apologize for 'fight' remarks against MAGA

The White House demands House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries apologize for his remarks against MAGA policies.

The White House has called on House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to apologize after the Democratic lawmaker vowed to "fight in the streets" against former President Donald Trump’s policies.

Jeffries made the remarks during a press conference in New York, where he criticized the Trump administration’s attempt to freeze federal grants and loans. Surrounded by officials from affected programs, he claimed that Americans were "under assault by an extreme MAGA Republican agenda."

"We're going to fight it legislatively, we are going to fight it in the courts, and we're going to fight it in the streets," Jeffries stated.

The White House responded sharply, calling his comments a "sick call for violence" and accusing him of inciting his supporters. In a statement, the administration questioned whether Jeffries would apologize or "double down on the same calls for violence that have plagued the country for years."

Jeffries' communications director, Christie Stephenson, dismissed the White House’s accusations, stating, "The notion that Leader Jeffries supports violence is laughable. Republicans are the party that pardons violent felons who assault police officers. Democrats are the party of John Lewis and the right to petition the government peacefully."

The controversy comes amid heightened partisan tensions, with both parties accusing each other of inflaming political violence. Earlier this week, Democrats were outraged over a Trump administration directive that sought to freeze federal financial assistance. The order was later rescinded following legal challenges and public backlash.

At the press conference, Jeffries denounced the funding freeze as "unlawful" and a "Republican ripoff scheme to steal taxpayer dollars." He emphasized that Democrats would continue to push back against "far-right extremism" while working across party lines where possible.

As the debate over federal funding and taxation intensifies, this exchange signals ongoing partisan battles in Washington, with both sides accusing each other of escalating political tensions.