LEADER JEFFRIES ON CNN: “AT THE END OF THE DAY, ONCE THE TEMPER TANTRUM ENDS, DONALD TRUMP BACKS DOWN”

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on CNN's The Situation Room, where he emphasized that while Donald Trump and Republicans continue to fight each other instead of making life better for the American people, Democrats remain committed to lowering the high cost of living and cleaning up corruption.

WOLF BLITZER: Joining us now is the top Democrat in the House of Representatives, the Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York. Leader Jeffries, thanks so much for joining us. There's a lot I want to talk to you about, but this vessel strike marks the first reported since the U.S. and Iran agreed last week to work toward a peace deal. Have you been briefed on this attack and, more broadly, where will the Iran talks stand right now?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Good morning, Wolf, great to be with you. Unfortunately, the Trump administration has explicitly declined to brief Members of Congress about the situation over in the Middle East, perhaps because they understand it's not under control. In fact, it's been a disaster for the American people. Donald Trump and Republicans launched a reckless and costly war of choice that has left America in a weaker position relative to Iran than we were in prior to this war being launched. And, of course, gas prices remain incredibly high in an environment where the American people are already suffocating from the failed Trump economy and the fact that costs haven't gone down, as Republicans promised would happen on day one, costs have gone up.

WOLF BLITZER: The House Speaker Mike Johnson and President Trump, they met for-what-more than three hours at the White House yesterday, after which the Speaker said he would send the bipartisan housing bill that passed overwhelmingly to the President's desk to be signed or become law after 10 days. Do you have any insight at all, Leader, into where that legislation currently stands? As I said, it was passed overwhelmingly in the House and the Senate and is now awaiting the President's signature to sign it into law.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, the cost of living in the United States of America [is] out of control and Congress took a bipartisan step forward, led by Congresswoman Maxine Waters and Senator Elizabeth Warren, as well as French Hill, the Republican Chair of the Financial Services Committee, to get something meaningful done so we could actually build housing in America that everyday Americans can afford. But Donald Trump, once again, threw a temper tantrum, unfortunately, and decided that rather than actually deal with the affordability crisis-which is not a hoax in the United States of America notwithstanding what Donald Trump has said, it's actually very real-that he wants to try to jam his voter suppression legislation down the throats of the American people. We, of course, will continue to reject that effort, but at the same period of time come together around common sense bills like this affordability bill connected to the housing crisis to try to improve the lives of the American people. Hopefully, what we'll now see over the next few days is that either the bill will be signed into law or, after 10 days, will automatically become law.

WOLF BLITZER: What do you think will happen?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Listen, I think one way or the other, this bill is going to become law. And we've made that clear from the very beginning. We're not bending, we're not breaking, we're not changing our position as it relates to our opposition to Donald Trump's voter suppression bill. And at the end of the day, as often is the case, once the temper tantrum ends, Donald Trump backs down.

WOLF BLITZER: I want to also get to the recent elections in your home state of New York. Two incumbent Democrats, two Democrats you know well and you supported them, lost their primaries to progressive challengers endorsed by the New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Here's how one swing state Democrat responded to all that. I'm going to get your reaction, but listen to this.

RECORDING OF SEN. ELISSA SLOTKIN: We have literally found ourselves in a situation where we just don't have people who understand the moment and understand what leadership means.

RECORDING OF STEPHEN A. SMITH: When you talk about new leadership, well, Hakeem Jeffries is the Democratic Leader in the House and Chuck Schumer is the Democratic Leader in the Senate. When you talk about new leadership, that would mean they're out in favor of somebody else. Is that what you're saying?

RECORDING OF SEN. ELISSA SLOTKIN: I'm saying, if people can't understand that the game has changed, I mean, this is you, you're the sports guy. If people can't understand that the game has fundamentally changed, and they can't adapt, then they need to let others lead.

WOLF BLITZER: So what do you say to Slotkin about that? Are you the right person to continue to lead the Democrats in the House? And if, in fact, the Democrats become the majority in the House, are you ready? Do you think you're likely to be elected Speaker?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, listen, what's in front of us right now is we've got to do everything to take back control of the House of Representatives. That's actually the moment that we're in, and House Democrats have been very clear that we are going to continue to relentlessly focus on making our case to the American people, drive down the high cost of living, fix our broken healthcare system and clean up corruption. I have no idea what Elissa Slotkin was talking about there. Of course, any Democratic Leader is going to continue to stand with their colleagues. And I'm proud of the effort that was put in by both Congressman Adriano Espaillat, as well as Congressman Dan Goldman, two Members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. At the same period of time, I think that what happens in a handful of primaries in one of the bluest cities in the country is not in any way indicative of what needs to happen in November, where we need to reelect every single frontline Member, common sense Democrats, authentically committed to making life better for the American people, opposing these extreme Republicans who have been nothing but a reckless rubber stamp for Donald Trump's agenda. And at the same period of time, make sure that we flip red seats blue, including in New York-17, where we have a combat veteran, incredibly patriotic American Cait Conley, who came out of a primary on Tuesday as well and is an incredibly strong candidate. She will defeat Mike Lawler in New York in November.

WOLF BLITZER: I want you to listen and watch. I don't know if you saw it, what Republican Congressman James Comer said about this topic just a few moments ago. Listen to this.

RECORDING OF REP. JAMES COMER: I think Democrats had a very bad week. I believe that when you're Hakeem Jeffries, and you're trying to be the next Speaker of the House, and you lose three elections in your hometown, that's a pretty big slap in the face. And I always-come from Kentucky and always adhere to the attitude that you look at a candidate by how well they do in their hometown, by their friends and neighbors. And I think Hakeem Jeffries' friends and neighbors gave him a big middle finger. And look, that's the direction of the Democrat Party. They are going further and further to the left to the point where they are full-blown, card-carrying socialists. And I don't think the American people want to elect that. And, I'm more confident than ever that the House will remain Republican.

WOLF BLITZER: How do you respond to Comer, Leader?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, I understand that Republicans are going to try to distract and change the subject. This is the same group of people, they promised to lower costs on day one, costs haven't gone down because of the Trump tariffs. Costs have gone up. Increased costs on everyday Americans by thousands of dollars per year. They promised to love and cherish Medicaid and then turned around and enacted the largest cut to Medicaid in American history, ripping healthcare away from millions of Americans. And hospitals, nursing homes and community-based health centers are closing because of the Republicans' One Big Ugly Bill in places like Kentucky. At the same period of time, it was Donald Trump and Republicans who promised not to start wars in the Middle East, but to stop them and then turned around and got us involved in this reckless and costly war of choice. At the end of the day, Republican policies have been a disaster. And even though I understand that Comer and others want to try to distract the American people, what you have right now is that Donald Trump, the President, is fighting with Senate Republicans. Literally, it was a cage match in the United States Senate when he met with them. Senate Republicans are fighting with House Republicans, and House Republicans are fighting with each other, which is why they couldn't move any meaningful legislation on the Floor this week, cancelled votes and got out of town yesterday before sundown.

WOLF BLITZER: You had a chance to speak with the New York City Mayor Mamdani on Wednesday, is that right?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Yeah, Mayor Mamdani and I had a very good conversation. It was forward-looking, you know, it was authentic, it was candid. And I think we both have taken the position that there are going to be times where we may, as a congressional delegation, agree to strongly disagree with each other on endorsements. But at the same period of time, at all times, be committed to actually making life better and more affordable for the people in New York City and beyond. And in this moment of great extremism, it's an all-hands-on-deck approach. And so we've got to come together, city, state and federal governmental officials, in order to continue to do our best to get the job done. And that's sort of a commitment that I believe we all share as we move forward at this time.

WOLF BLITZER: Are you confident, Leader Jeffries, that your vision, your vision with Mamdani, your visions for the Democratic Party going forward, do they align? Or do you worry that he could push out more of your own Democratic Party Members?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, it's important to remember that primaries are a way of life in the House of Representatives. We stand for election every two years. We have a two-year employment contract. You've got to go back, appropriately so, to your voters, make your case. And, in a handful of instances, voters will decide to go in a different direction. But at the end of the day, there are about 215 of us, 215 in the House Democratic Caucus, representing districts of all types throughout the United States of America, but we're committed to making sure that we actually address the things that matter to the American people so when folks work hard and play by the rules, they can live an affordable life, a good life and a middle-class, comfortable life, as opposed to being suffocated right now with this failed economy.

WOLF BLITZER: Alright, the House Minority Leader, the Democratic Leader, Hakeem Jeffries. Thanks so much for spending a few moments with us. We really appreciate it.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Thank you much, Wolf.

Full interview can be watched here.

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