Democrat Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) called for anti-Trump Americans to fight “in the streets” to protest his administration’s policies.
The press conference surrounded President Donald Trump’s statements on the recent D.C. plane crash and his policies freezing federal funding.
“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 billionaire donors and wealthy corporations and then stick New Yorkers and working class Americans across the country with the bill,” he said, adding, “That’s not acceptable. We are going to fight it legislatively. We’re going to fight it in the courts, and we’re going to fight it in the streets.”
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) demanded an apology from Jeffries.
“House Minority Leader [Jeffries] should promptly apologize for his use of inflammatory and extreme rhetoric,” Emmer wrote on X. “President Trump and the Republicans are focused on uniting the country; Jeffries needs to stop trying to divide it.”
The White House reportedly released a statement on the matter.
“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 statement said.
Jeffries spokesperson Christie Stephenson told Fox News that 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.”
