LEADER JEFFRIES ON MORNING JOE: "THE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS IN THIS COUNTRY IS VERY REAL AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE KNOW IT"
Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on MS NOW's Morning Joe, where he reiterated that while Donald Trump and Republicans claim the high cost of living is a hoax, Democrats will continue fighting to lower costs and fix the GOP healthcare and affordability crises.
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: Joining us now, House Minority Leader, Democratic Congressman Hakeem Jeffries of New York. Thank you very much for coming on the show. I want to ask you about that. We have a lot to ask you about that. But I first would like to ask you about the story we just covered before the break that played out in Boston where migrants, people who walked legally down the road, the long, hard, expensive road to citizenship, only to have it yanked away at the last minute because they were from certain select countries. That, along with the fact that later in the show we'll be covering a report on—from Amnesty International about the depraved conditions at Alligator Alcatraz. What do you have to say? And is there anything that you can do about what is happening to these migrants, especially those who have taken the legal route to become citizens of the United States of America to take part in that incredibly emotional, personal and American ceremony to become a citizen and pledge allegiance?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, good morning. It's great to be with you. It was a devastating day for people who are legal, permanent residents. They've been living in this country lawfully, contributing to their communities, anticipating this incredibly important day, this milestone that's very consistent with, you know, the American dream and the notion that we are both a nation of immigrants and a nation anchored in the rule of law. Did everything right, but this is an example of the continued cruelty that Donald Trump and his administration are inflicting upon the country, and the American people are rejecting it all across America, and we just got additional evidence of that with a Democrat winning the mayor's race in Miami in a heavily-immigrant community last night for the first time in almost 30 years.
WILLIE GEIST: And President Trump kind of gave away the game during that speech yesterday in Pennsylvania as these immigrants from Haiti, legal immigrants from Haiti and Cuba, are being pulled out of line saying, why don't we have more immigrants from Norway or Sweden? Will let you process that for a moment. But let me ask you more specifically about the message or at least the intended message of that event from the President in the Poconos yesterday. It was ostensibly about affordability. We'd heard that his advisors had said, hey, we've seen the results of these elections, we're looking at polls, we're listening to our own voters saying things are too expensive in this country. And then the President goes out and hands you another political gift by mocking the idea that affordability really is a crisis in this country. What did you make of his remarks yesterday?
LEADER JEFFRIES: It's incredible that Donald Trump continues to put forth this lie to the American people that the affordability crisis in this country is a hoax or some type of Democratic scam. It's very real and the American people know it. The cost of living in this country is far too high. Housing costs are too high. Grocery costs are too high. Utility bills, particularly electricity bills, are too high. And we know that healthcare as a system has been broken, particularly by these Republicans, and now they refuse to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, which means for tens of millions of people, their health insurance costs are about to skyrocket in some cases $1,000 or $2,000 increases per month. It's all unsustainable. The American people want us to work together to drive down the high cost of living. Donald Trump and Republicans have zero interest in doing it because they're too busy enacting massive tax breaks for their billionaire donors.
JON LEMIRE: Leader Jeffries, let's shift gears here and talk about these strikes of alleged drug boats off the coast of Venezuela, in particular the one on September 2nd that has received so much scrutiny because it was hit multiple times and there were survivors seen clinging on the side of the boat. There was a Gang of Eight briefing yesterday. You participated in it. Defense Secretary Hegseth, Secretary of State Rubio, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine, others were involved. Tell us, you know, as you can, what you heard yesterday. Did you see that second video? Did you have some of your questions answered? If not, what remained?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, I still haven't seen any evidence that justifies these strikes, which we believe are extrajudicial in many instances. We're still trying to determine the basis of the authority for carrying out these strikes that have been taking place and the overall rationale in terms of promoting the safety and the national security of the American people. It certainly is also the case that we're arguing for more transparency for Members of the House of Representatives and the United States Senate. As Leader Schumer has said publicly and as I've supported, we believe that the entire Congress should see the whole video so that we have context for the strike that took place, which many of us believe is inconsistent with the law and with American values. And the other point that I think we've made repeatedly is that this administration continues to think that the Congress is nothing but a wholly owned subsidiary of the Trump cartel. It is not. My Republican colleagues function in that fashion and, unfortunately, they have undermined the ability of Congress to serve as a check and balance on an out-of-control executive branch, which was one of the most important parts of the Constitution in terms of how the framers constructed our democracy. So we're pressing for a full briefing of the entire Congress on the issues related to the strikes occurring off the coast of Venezuela, as well as some further clarity and information on where we're heading in terms of the Russian aggression that continues related to Ukraine.
MIKE BARNICLE: So, Congressman, you were just talking about the Affordable Care Act subsidies and the likelihood that they might disappear for a lot of people who would then go either without healthcare or go bankrupt trying to continue healthcare. What can you do on the Democratic side of the aisle with legislative tricks or traps or whatever to make sure that this does not happen, that they don't lose the subsidies?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, this is an incredibly urgent issue for tens of millions of people. All 214 Democrats have signed a discharge petition to force an up-or-down vote on extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits to make sure that that happens before the end of this month. All we need are four Republicans in the House to join us. There are 220 of them. We only need four. And if that happens, then we can force that up-or-down vote. And everyone knows that the votes exist to ensure that we extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, that we can ensure that working class Americans, middle class Americans and everyday Americans don't face a dramatic increase in their health insurance costs, so much so that they will be unable to go see a doctor when they need one.
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: House Minority Leader, Democratic Congressman Hakeem Jeffries of New York, thank you very much for coming on the show this morning. We appreciate it.
Full interview can be watched here.