Brooklyn, NY – Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on MSNBC’s Inside with Jen Psaki where he emphasized that while Donald Trump and Republicans are crashing the economy and attempting to destroy Social Security and Medicaid, House Democrats will continue to work to lower the cost of living and shine a light on Republican corruption.

Jen Psaki: Joining me now is House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Leader Jeffries, it’s great to see you. Thank you so much for taking the time. And there’s so much I want to talk to you about, including the economy and what your Members are doing and everything happening out there I think our viewers should know. I do want to start with the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, because there’s so many people wondering about what can be done to bring him home. And his attorney said it might take a contempt order from a judge to prompt the Trump administration to return him from El Salvador. There are some who are calling for Congress, of which the Republicans are in charge, to compel people to testify. You’re the Democratic Leader, but you’re in the minority. I think it’s important for people to understand what, if any, power for people who are watching at home do you have? What power do you have and other Democratic Members to compel, push the government to bring him home?

Leader Jeffries: Well, we have the power to shape public sentiment. And at the end of the day, making sure that public sentiment in this case understands that the treatment of Mr. Abrego Garcia, you know, is unconscionable, unacceptable and un-American. And if it can happen here, it can happen anywhere and it’s going to be incredibly important for every Member of Congress, certainly, we plan to do this on the Democratic side, both in the House and in the Senate, to intensify the pressure on the Trump Administration to comply with the Supreme Court’s directive and the Supreme Court and or the federal district court actually needs to enforce its order and the vehicles that are available for the court to do that relate to contempt, and that contempt can be directed at a variety of different members of the Trump administration, including, but not limited to, the Secretary of State and or his or her designees, and the Secretary of Homeland Security and or his or her designees for the court to determine.

Jen Psaki: It sounds like you’re saying you think the court should hold some members of the administration in contempt. Anyone else you want to mention there?

Leader Jeffries: Well, I think what the court needs to do is to set a deadline as it relates to compliance with the quasi-directive that came down from the Supreme Court related to returning Mr. Garcia, specify that and then make sure that it happens. And at the same period of time, I think, as you’ve seen and there’s been some great leadership from Senator Chris Van Hollen who apparently indicated earlier today that either his constituent is returned or he plans to go to El Salvador himself. And that’s exactly the type of action that, as Members of Congress, we can do to highlight the injustice, dramatize and amplify it, and force the administration to comply, which in this instance, I believe we will make sure that happens.

Jen Psaki: One of the things I know that you’re often under pressure to do is not be alarmist, but also sound the alarm when needed, and I wanted–it’s a tricky balance you have to strike, I understand. I wanted to–we played earlier the sound of Donald Trump in the Oval Office suggesting that homegrown criminals, as he called them, which is, again, how he defines them, which is an important point, could be sent to jail in El Salvador. And, look, we can all agree that there are some dangerous criminals in our country, but this is clearly a step, at least as I heard it, much further, and it sounded to me like he was leaving the door open to deport American citizens for any range of reasons. Yes, maybe they committed crimes. Maybe it’s people he doesn’t like. Well, how did you hear his comments?

Leader Jeffries: Well, to be clear, it can’t happen and we will never allow it to happen. And it’s also unclear whether Donald Trump sometimes says these things to distract the American people from the fact that he’s failing in a wide variety of areas, including as it relates to the economy. Trump and the Republicans are crashing the American economy in real time, hurting people and driving us toward a recession. Now, we have to take him seriously, he’s the President of the United States of America. It would be unlawful and unconstitutional for Donald Trump to attempt to do the things that he’s suggesting relative to American citizens. And we are going to have to make sure vigilantly, that he doesn’t even dare go anywhere close to taking that step.

Jen Psaki: Well, let’s turn to the economy. I know that’s front and center on your mind, obviously in front of the minds of your Members. I started the show by talking about his weakness on the economy. We’re seeing that in poll after poll, we’re hearing that from small business owners and farmers all around the chaos of tariffs. I also wanted to ask you, though, because Republicans, everyone’s going to come back in a couple of weeks and there’s going to be a focus on this budget bill, and there’s a piece in there, the House Energy and Commerce Committee is looking to cut, as I read, $880 billion from the programs under its jurisdiction, including Medicaid. You would know better than almost anyone what, how that could happen. Is there any way to do that without massive cuts to Medicaid, in your view?

Leader Jeffries: No, not at all. And listen, we have the Republicans and Donald Trump on the run on three different issues. And we’re going to continue to press our case before the American people. We have them on the run as it relates to the economy. They promised to lower costs, in fact, on day one. They haven’t lowered costs, costs are going up and they are recklessly driving us toward a recession. We have them on the run as relates to Social Security. As Democrats, we want to protect and strengthen Social Security. Republicans believe that Social Security is a Ponzi scheme, and they are trying to dismantle the Social Security Administration. And we certainly have them on the run as it relates to their plans connected to Medicaid, because they want to visit upon the American people the largest Medicaid cut in American history. It will hurt children, hurt families, hurt women, hurt people with disabilities and hurt older Americans in nursing homes, as well as close hospitals all across this country. It’s outrageous what they want to do, and we’re going to fight it every step of the way and try to stop the Republicans from taking a dime away from Medicaid when we go back into session.

Jen Psaki: You mentioned Medicaid, Social Security. I know that members are out there now this week out during congressional recess, the House is—tomorrow is Save Social Security Day of Action, a Save Social Security Day of Action. And there’s a Medicaid Day of Action on Thursday. How many people are going to be out there doing things? What are people going to be hearing? I know we’ve heard some of the message from you, but what should people expect to hear in their districts about what Democrats are going to do about these issues?

Leader Jeffries: Well, there are hundreds of different events that are going to take place throughout this week into next week all across the country. As you mentioned, Jen, tomorrow, Save Social Security Day of Action. On Thursday, Medicaid Matters Day of Action, and then all of next week, a Cost of Living Week of Action. In connection with Social Security, now we want to one, sound the alarm and also make clear that we are going to hold Republicans accountable for any effort to try to dismantle Social Security in real time, as inspired by the unelected, unaccountable, unpopular, out-of-control billionaire Elon Musk, who believes that Social Security is a Ponzi scheme. Now, in the context of the budget reconciliation, the law will prohibit Republicans from adversely impacting some Social Security benefits. And so, that’s a positive thing, but we have to stop them through the appropriations process of trying to dismantle the Social Security Administration, which is underway right now. And, of course, we’re suing them in court and have been successful and we’ll need to continue to be successful. In terms of Medicaid, you know, our view is that these Republicans want to take away the health care from the American people in order to pass a massive tax break for their billionaire donors like Elon Musk. It’s a toxic scheme. We’ve got to call it out for what it is and make sure—we only need three Republicans to join us—and we can stop this from happening.

Jen Psaki: One of the contrasts there that you touched on is the people who Trump is hurting and the people who he is trying to help. And I wanted to ask you before I let you go—I know you’re a busy guy—but according to some reporting out today from the New York Times and other outlets, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene bought between about $21,000, according to the reports, and $315,000 in stocks in the two days before Trump announced he was pausing the sweeping global tariffs, notably stocks that were initially hit the hardest. She also apparently dumped between $50,000 and $100,000 in bonds. That doesn’t sound like a coincidence to me, but what do you think of that? And what’s going to—what can happen to look into that?

Leader Jeffries: So many of these people are crooks, liars and frauds and Marjorie Taylor Greene is, of course, exhibit A. We are seeing corruption unfold before us in real time. And House Democrats and Senate Democrats are going to partner together to make sure we, of course, shine a spotlight on these issues. One, we do need to change the law so that sitting Members of Congress cannot trade stock. Period. Full stop. And until we get to that point, we obviously have to continue to highlight why this is problematic. And if Republicans are unwilling to hold a hearing on this matter, I can assure you Democrats will, on Capitol Hill, in partnership with the Senate and we also will take this matter on the road.

Jen Psaki: Well, I’ll look forward and we’ll all look forward to seeing that. Thank you so much, Leader Jeffries. We’ll all be watching all of the Days of Action this week as well. Appreciate you joining me.

Leader Jeffries: Thank you.

Full interview can be watched here.

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