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The White House on Friday called for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) to apologize after he made remarks vowing to resist the Trump administration’s policies, a statement that has sparked sharp criticism from Republicans.
During a press briefing, Jeffries denounced what he described as “an extreme MAGA Republican agenda” that prioritizes tax cuts for billionaires and large corporations while shifting the financial burden onto working-class Americans.
“We are gonna fight it legislatively. We are gonna fight it in the courts. And we’re gonna fight it in the streets,” Jeffries declared, emphasizing his commitment to opposing Republican policies.
His comments were immediately condemned by the White House, which accused him of inciting violence.
“Will Minority Leader Jeffries apologize for this disgusting threat? Or will he double down on the same calls for violence that have plagued the country for years?” the White House communications office said in a statement.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) also criticized Jeffries, calling his rhetoric “inflammatory” and urging him to issue an apology.
“President Trump and the Republicans are focused on uniting the country; Jeffries needs to stop trying to divide it,” Emmer wrote on social platform X.
However, Jeffries’ office strongly pushed back against the accusations, dismissing them as a mischaracterization of his remarks.
“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,” his office said in a statement.
The controversy highlights the deep political divide in Washington, where rhetoric surrounding Trump and his policies continues to fuel fierce partisan battles. While Republicans argue that Jeffries' comments promote unrest, Democrats insist his words reflect a commitment to fighting policies they view as harmful to working-class Americans.
Beyond this dispute, Jeffries also used his press conference to denounce the now-rescinded federal funding freeze, a move that had sparked bipartisan criticism. Additionally, he rebuked former President Trump for linking federal diversity initiatives to a deadly collision this week between a military helicopter and an American Airlines plane near Reagan Washington National Airport.
The clash between Jeffries and the White House underscores the heightened tensions as the country heads into another heated election cycle, with both parties seeking to shape the narrative around economic policies, governance, and national unity.
