LEADER JEFFRIES: "REPUBLICANS ARE DESPERATELY TRYING TO CLING ON TO POWER"
Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on ABC News Live to discuss Donald Trump and Republicans' plans to gerrymander congressional maps with impunity and Democratic efforts to push back on their extremism.
JAY O’BRIEN: Joining me now to talk about all of that is House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Mr. Leader, welcome in, sir.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Good to be with you.
JAY O’BRIEN: I'm sure you've seen this today, but Senator John Cornyn of Texas said that the FBI has now promised him that they will get involved for searching for some of those Texas Democrats who fled the state. The FBI hasn't commented one way or the other, but in your view, is this something the FBI even has the authority to get involved with?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Donald Trump and extreme MAGA Republicans are desperate and continue to demonstrate a willingness to weaponize federal law enforcement to try and target people they view as political adversaries. John Cornyn is a dead Senator walking. And this is another example of a desperate ploy to try to save his own skin even if it means engaging the FBI in what would be a corrupt abuse of power by the Trump administration. The FBI should be spending its time chasing down violent criminals, terrorists, drug traffickers and child predators, not targeting political adversaries in a democracy here in America.
JAY O’BRIEN: In your view then, Mr. Leader, would the FBI be acting illegally if it were to get involved in this and try to find and in other ways engage in this redistricting process?
LEADER JEFFRIES:There would be no authority for the FBI to target Democrats from the Texas legislature in connection with an act that Democrats have taken that is authorized by the Texas Constitution.
JAY O’BRIEN: We've had some Republicans on this show over the last few days and they have claimed that this redistricting effort is necessary. They say the political landscape in the state has changed. They say that they're not just acting within President Trump's wishes just because he's asked. They say that the state has changed since the last 2020 census. What is your response when you hear that?
LEADER JEFFRIES: It's the most ridiculous statement ever. This is a clear power grab because Donald Trump and House Republicans are desperate to try to hold on to their thin majority in the House of Representatives. Republicans have no track record of accomplishment to run on. Their One Big Ugly Bill is now a deeply unpopular law. It rips away healthcare from the American people, millions of people, including those in Texas. Steals food from the mouths of hungry children. And all of this is being done in order to enact massive tax breaks for their billionaire donors. Republicans promised that they were going to lower costs on day one. They haven't lowered costs. Costs are going up, and the Trump tariffs are costing everyday Americans thousands of dollars per year.
JAY O’BRIEN: You called this redistricting effort a power grab. We've seen some Democratic governors now say that if Texas acts, they will respond. They will do mid-decade redistricting in their states, too. One of them is your home state of New York. Would you advise Democratic governors against doing that because, as we've seen Democrats say, there's a view that this is just playing politics with people's districts?
LEADER JEFFRIES: It's important for us to respond coast to coast. And to the extent that there are responses that take place in California, New York or elsewhere, I'm confident that they will be done in a manner consistent with the law. And, to the extent necessary, voters will be asked to weigh in to determine the best course of action moving forward.
JAY O’BRIEN: But should that response involve redrawing districts in their states? Some of them have said they want to, but couldn't that start a redistricting arms race?
LEADER JEFFRIES: The redistricting arms race has already begun, and it was started by Donald Trump and compliant Republicans in Texas. When Donald Trump says jump, the Republicans simply ask how high even if that means trying to strip away the voices of their own constituents and undermine the ability for there to be free and fair elections in the midterms next year.
JAY O’BRIEN: But if Democrats redistrict in their own states, do they lose in a way their moral authority on this issue?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Absolutely not. Certainly, under these circumstances, one cannot unilaterally disarm. The Republicans are counting on that as part of their scheme to try to steal the midterm elections and gerrymander these congressional maps with impunity across the country. We're not going to stand for it. And the American people don't expect us to stand for it because they know we are fighting for an economy that actually makes life better for them as opposed to an economy of the billionaires, by the billionaires and for the billionaires. We are fighting to protect Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security, and fighting to make sure that their children can have a future.
JAY O’BRIEN: We saw Vice President J.D. Vance in Indiana today. There's talk of that state potentially engaging in mid-decade redistricting too. Did you expect to have to fight this redistricting fight this summer? Is this something that you had in your sights and you thought the White House would try to do, or did it come as a surprise?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, this is all unprecedented, but nothing comes as a surprise in terms of this group that is desperately trying to cling on to power as part of their effort to drive their extreme, right-wing agenda down the throats of the American people. As Democrats, we're not afraid to make our case on the merits to everyday Americans, and upon doing that, we are confident that we will win back control of the majority in 2026. We're prepared to continue to fight to lower the high cost of living, to fix our broken healthcare system, to clean up corruption in Washington, D.C., so that we have a government that actually works for the American people. Republicans cannot make a credible argument to maintain their majority based on what they've done, which is why we are seeing these extreme, partisan gerrymandering tactics being employed all across the country.
JAY O’BRIEN: While we have you, I want to get you on one piece of news today, which is we saw on tariffs, that laundry list of President Trump's so-called reciprocal tariffs snap into place today. Congress is out on recess. That's why you're coming to us from New York. It's why I'm not on the Hill today and I'm in this chair. Your Members are traveling in their various states and districts. Have you heard this issue come up in constituent conversations that you've had and your Members have had?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Yeah, as I've traveled throughout the district that I'm privileged to represent here in Brooklyn and all across the country, I've consistently heard from everyday Americans complaining about the fact that America is too expensive, that costs are too high. Donald Trump promised that he was going to lower costs for the American people, but costs, of course, continue to go up, inflation is going up and the Trump tariffs are gonna make things worse. And that is an issue of deep concern for people all across the country, whether they're Democrats, Independents or Republicans.
JAY O’BRIEN: A question here that's probably a little bit too soon, but I gotta ask it to you. When Congress comes back in just a couple of weeks in September, they've got to avert a government shutdown. And we've seen before Republicans not have the votes in their own ranks to pass government funding legislation. And there have been times, as you know better than anyone, that Democrats have stepped in and given them those votes to avert a government shutdown. Do you see Democrats doing that again here, or will they withhold those votes?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Leader Schumer and I sent a letter to John Thune and Mike Johnson earlier this week asking for a Four Corners sit-down conversation in a bipartisan and bicameral way so that we can work on an appropriations process that actually passes a spending bill that meets the needs of the American people in terms of their health, their safety, our national security and the economic well-being of everyday Americans who are struggling while working hard in this country. We haven't heard from the Republicans as it relates to our offer to sit down and initiate this bipartisan discussion to try to get to a resolution. And perhaps we haven't heard from them because Republicans are determined to shut the government down as part of their ideological effort to jam their extreme ideas down the throats of the American people. We're not going to stand for it.
JAY O’BRIEN: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, thank you so much for your time, sir.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Thank you very much.
Full interview can be watched here.