Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Monday referred to as out President Donald Trump for a “stone-cold lie” concerning the ongoing authorities shutdown, disputing his declare that Republicans are negotiating its reopening with Democrats in good religion — or in any respect.
Jeffries appeared on the “MeidasTouch Podcast” to supply listeners with an replace on the shutdown, which started final week amid a tense standoff between Republicans and Democrats over measures geared toward defending medical insurance for tens of millions of Individuals.
Jeffries replied bluntly when requested by host Ben Meiselas whether or not Trump was mendacity.
“Effectively, so far as I can inform, that’s a stone-cold lie, as a result of I don’t know who the president, the Trump administration, [Vice President] JD Vance, [House] Speaker [Mike] Johnson, [Senate Majority Leader] John Thune or any of that crew are speaking to,” said Jeffries.
“As a result of they actually aren’t speaking to Home Democratic management,” he continued.
Jeffries reiterated that there’s “no proof” within the slightest that Republicans “are speaking to anyone” about their purported efforts to reopen the federal government, citing “communication” with Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who later spoke with Meiselas himself.
“There’s no negotiations happening,” Schumer told the host. “Trump stated there was, and we contradicted him. And truly, simply a few hours in the past, even his personal press secretary needed to refute what he stated. And you recognize why he’s saying this? He’s feeling the warmth.”
Bipartisan negotiations have been just about nonexistent for the reason that shutdown commenced, regardless of Trump claiming as recently as Monday throughout a press convention, “We have now a negotiation happening proper now with the Democrats that might result in superb issues.”
White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that very same day throughout a press briefing that Trump hasn’t spoken to congressional Democrats since earlier than the shutdown started, nonetheless, and said, “His place may be very clear. There’s nothing to barter.”
Leavitt additionally repeated the Republican speaking level that Democrats are preventing for “free health care for illegal aliens.” Nevertheless, undocumented immigrants are ineligible for federal well being care applications.
Democrats are proposing to reverse current Medicaid cuts enacted by the GOP’s “large, stunning invoice” and to increase subsidies for individuals who get their medical insurance by the Inexpensive Care Act.
Earlier this yr, Schumer was criticized by fellow Democrats for caving to the GOP or blatantly absconding his political leverage, however he advised Meiselas this week that the celebration has “performed an excellent job of letting the American individuals know the way necessary this concern is” this time.
“We’ve allow them to know that the explanation that Republicans have this Trump shutdown is that they received’t even discuss to us concerning the concern,” he stated Monday. “So this concept that they’re negotiating with us is utter bull.”
He concluded, “We’ve refuted it.”
