Brooklyn, NY – Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer where he emphasized that House Democrats will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine, despite the chaos coming out of the Oval Office. 

WOLF BLITZER: And joining me now, the House Minority Leader, Hakeem Jeffries. Leader Jeffries, thanks so much for joining us. I want to play a little bit more from this truly extraordinary Oval Office meeting earlier today. Watch and listen to this.

RECORDING OF PRESIDENT TRUMP: You have to be thankful. You don’t have the cards. You’re buried there, your people are dying. You’re running low on soldiers.

RECORDING OF PRESIDENT ZELENSKY: Don’t, please, Mr. President.

RECORDING OF PRESIDENT TRUMP: Listen. You’re running low on soldiers. It would be a damn good thing. It would be a damn good thing. Then you tell us, ‘I don’t want a cease-fire. I don’t want a cease-fire. I want to go, and I want this.’ Look, if you could get a cease-fire right now, I’d tell you, you take it. So the bullets stop flying and your men stop getting killed.

RECORDING OF PRESIDENT ZELENSKY: Of course we want to stop the war.

RECORDING OF PRESIDENT TRUMP: But you’re saying you don’t want a cease-fire. I want a cease-fire.

RECORDING OF PRESIDENT ZELENSKY: But I said to you, with guarantees.

WOLF BLITZER: Leader Jeffries, I want to get your reaction to this shocking White House meeting between President Trump and President Zelensky.

LEADER JEFFRIES: It was a shocking and extraordinary exchange. American Support for Ukraine is anchored in our own national security interests. America is stronger when Russia is weaker, and we, of course, are weakened when Russia is stronger. And we cannot allow Russian aggression to succeed here. And that is why we supported the bravery and courage of the Ukrainian people. Ukraine is also standing on the side of democracy, freedom and truth. Russia is standing on the side of tyranny, oppression and propaganda. And America, of course, should always be aligned with the interests of those principles—those principles of democracy and truth and freedom.

WOLF BLITZER: Do you believe, Leader Jeffries, that the relationship between the Trump administration and President Zelensky can be salvaged?

LEADER JEFFRIES: It has to be salvaged for the good of the free world, if America is going to continue to play that role. And again, our leadership of the free world in the aftermath of World War II to create a rules-based society all across the globe, is in America’s national security interests. It’s designed to keep our people safe and secure and free of the type of global conflict that cost so many lives, including American lives, during World War I and World War II. And so it certainly is the case that we’ll need to see some mature leadership from the Trump administration.

WOLF BLITZER: Do you think there will be some mature leadership from the Trump administration?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Congressional Democrats in both the House and the Senate will urge that this breach be repaired and that we stand by the Ukrainian people for the good of the American people, for the good of our national security, for the good of the free world and our continued leadership in that regard. We should not be bending the knee to Vladimir Putin and Russia. Putin is a sworn enemy of the United States of America. It’s not in our national security interest to be supportive of him. It’s a national security interest to support the Ukrainian people and our allies in Western Europe and throughout the free world.

WOLF BLITZER: Democratic Congressman Mike Quigley says the U.S. is, quote, “On the side of the bad guys now.” Do you agree with him?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Certainly, and Congressman Quigley indicated the fact that most recently in the United Nations, we voted with Russia, as opposed to voting with democratic countries in Western Europe and throughout the rest of the globe, is challenging. It’s problematic, and it’s not in our own national security interests. Look, what we’ve seen from the Trump administration over the last several weeks is just a flood of unprecedented extremism and a parade of horribles that continue to be unleashed on the American people, while at the same time, the Trump administration is not focused on solving the problems of everyday Americans. We’re continuing to make sure that we focus on trying to make life better for everyday Americans. Fundamentally, that’s why we were sent to Washington, D.C. we have to drive down the high cost of living. We have to secure the border. We have to keep communities safe. We have to protect our Dreamers and farm workers and families. These are the things that matter, as opposed to creating crisis-like moments when we should be coming together and demonstrating leadership for the free world.

WOLF BLITZER: As you know, President Trump is due to deliver an address before a joint meeting of Congress on Tuesday night. Is the president berating an ally in the Oval Office, as we saw today worth potentially boycotting the address?

LEADER JEFFRIES: It’s not my expectation that you will see a form of boycott organized in connection with the Joint Address to Congress. That’s our House. It’s the People’s House, it’s the House of Representatives. And so it’s certainly my view that you’re going to see a significant presence of House Democrats on the floor of the House to hear what the president has to say. Now, I think our view is the president needs to lay out why has the Trump administration failed to do anything to address the cost of living in America, when that was the signature promise? In fact, we were told that grocery prices were going to decline on day one. We also need to hear about this extraordinary assault on the American way of life that’s underway and understandably, has so many people disillusioned with what’s happening in this country right now. Although we’re going to continue to make clear as House Democrats that we will forcefully push back in the Congress, in the courts and in communities all across the nation.

WOLF BLITZER: On another sensitive issue, Leader Jeffries, CNN has learned that U.S. intelligence now believes that Russia and China are actively attempting to recruit disgruntled or fired federal national security employees in order to work for them. What can you tell us about this? What kind of danger potentially does this present?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, I haven’t been briefed about this piece of intelligence. It’s my expectation that upon return to Congress next week we will have a high level briefing to the extent this is underway. Listen, hard working federal employees help to make sure that our government can provide the services necessary, including as it relates to veterans benefits and Social Security benefits and Medicare benefits that the American people have earned and rely upon in order to try to live the best possible life. But it’s not my expectation that these patriotic individuals are going to fall prey to anything that is taking place related to China’s efforts, or Russia’s efforts to turn them against America.

WOLF BLITZER: Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, thanks very much for joining us.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Thank you, Wolf

Full interview can be watched here.