FIRST ON FOX: The White House is blasting House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries after pledging to fight Republicans’ agenda “in the streets.”
“While President Trump remains focused on uniting our country and delivering the mandate set by the American people, the House Minority Leader, Hakeem Jeffries, incites violence calling for people to fight ‘in the streets’ against President Trump’s agenda,” White House deputy press secretary Kush Desai told Fox News Digital.
“This unhinged violent rhetoric is dangerous. Leader Jeffries should immediately apologize.”
Republicans are hammering Jeffries, D-N.Y., for his comments at a press conference in Brooklyn on Friday.
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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., called for Democrats to protest President Donald Trump’s agenda. (Getty Images)
The Democratic leader appeared beside Congressional Black Caucus Chair Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., to criticize Trump’s handling of the recent deadly aircraft collision in Washington, D.C., and his administration’s policies freezing federal funding.
At one point, Jeffries was asked about Democratic New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ lack of pushback against Trump, and whether it made him a “good fit” to lead the Big Apple.
Jeffries avoided weighing in directly on Adams, however, responding, “I’ll have more to say about the future of the mayorship of the city of New York at the appropriate time.”
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Jeffries had been asked about New York City Mayor Eric Adams. (Adam Gray for Fox News Digital )
“Right now, we’re going to keep focused on the need to look out for everyday New Yorkers and everyday Americans who are under assault by an extreme MAGA Republican agenda that is trying to cut taxes for billionaires, donors, and wealthy corporations and then stick New Yorkers and working class Americans across the country with the bill,” Jeffries said.
“That’s not acceptable. We are going to fight it legislatively. We are going to fight it in the courts. We’re going to fight it in the streets.”
When asked for clarification, Jeffries spokesperson Christie Stephenson told Fox News Digital, “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.”
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., also criticized Jeffries’ comments. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
She posted similar comments on X, where she signaled the comments were referring to “nonviolent protest.”
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But GOP lawmakers immediately called on Jeffries to apologize, accusing him of using inflammatory language in an already-tense political environment.
“House Minority Leader [Jeffries] should promptly apologize for his use of inflammatory and extreme rhetoric. President Trump and the Republicans are focused on uniting the country; Jeffries needs to stop trying to divide it,” House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., wrote on X.
Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, did not mention Jeffries but said Americans were emphatically behind Trump’s agenda.
“More than 77 million Americans — including patriotic Iowans I’m proud to represent — sent a clear mandate by electing President Trump and Republican majorities to Congress. They want secure borders, a strong economy, energy dominance, and safe communities,” Feenstra told Fox News Digital.
