Brooklyn, NY – Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on ABC’s This Week where he emphasized that Democrats will continue to aggressively push back against the Republican assault on Social Security and Medicaid. 

(VIDEO) LEADER JEFFRIES: We’re in a crisis across the board, right? I mean, that is obvious for everyone to see. This is not normal. The president is assaulting the economy, assaulting Social Security, assaulting health care, assaulting the American way of life and assaulting our democracy. None of this is normal. It is all a crisis. 

(END VIDEO CLIP) 

KARL: That was House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who joins me now. Leader Jeffries, thank you for being here. Let me get right at what you were saying, because I also heard you say that Republicans are breaking the economy and will own all of the damage that is being done to the American people. So, what—what are Democrats going to do about it? 

JEFFRIES: Well, we’re going to continue to make clear that the cost of living in the United States of America is too high. Donald Trump and Republicans promised to lower the cost of living, in fact, on day one. Costs aren’t going down, they are going up and they are crashing the economy in real time and in fact, driving us toward a recession. Democrats have a different vision. We want to build an affordable economy for hardworking American taxpayers, and we’re ready to work with anyone in good faith to get that done. But that’s not occurring in the Congress right now, which is why things are heading in a bad direction.

KARL: But let me ask you about a Gallup poll that came out recently, asking people how much confidence they have in various people to—to deal with the economy. And Donald Trump only—you know, 44 percent have a great deal or fair amount of confidence, but that was—GOP leaders were next, the Fed chairman, the speaker of the House. And when you get down to the bottom Democratic leaders, Chuck Schumer, down at the bottom. You had only 30 percent. So, what do Democrats have to do to convince the American people that they have a better plan on the economy than the Republicans? 

JEFFRIES: Well, this week, we’ll be having a Cost of Living Week of Action, and we have to continue to talk to the American people about our plans. We recognize that housing costs are too high, grocery costs are too high, utility costs are too high, child care costs are too high insurance costs are too high. America is too expensive. Now, Donald Trump is the president. And in terms of his approval as it relates to the economy, it was his biggest strength on January 20th. Now, it’s his greatest weakness. There are a variety of different polls that are out there, including most recently a Morning Consult poll, that showed that congressional Democrats were actually trusted more than congressional Republicans on the economy for the first time in four years. We’re going to continue to press our case on the economy, continue to press our case on protecting and strengthening Social Security, which is what we are committed to do. Republicans are trying to detonate Social Security as we know it. And certainly, we’re going to protect the health care of the American people. 

KARL: You’ve seen those huge crowds that Bernie Sanders and AOC have gotten at their “Fighting Oligarchy Tour.” Is that where the energy of the Democratic Party is right now? Is it with the progressive left? Is that the direction the party’s going to turn? 

JEFFRIES: I think the energy of the Democratic Party right now is across the board. And everyone has made that observation, that this is not a right/left moment, it’s a moment of right versus wrong. And we’ve got to be able to stand up to this assault that is underway led by Donald Trump and his compliant Republicans in the House and the Senate. An assault on the economy, on Social Security, on Medicaid, an insult on the democratic way of life as we know it. 

KARL: I saw Senator Sanders had said in an interview this week that he was skeptical of Kamala Harris, and he mentioned Joe Biden as well — and having a future in the national Democratic Party. He said, quote: I think the future of the Democratic Party is not going to rest with the kind of leadership that we’ve had. Is—is he right? Do you think Democrats are looking for new leaders? 

JEFFRIES:  I think what we’ve got in front of us in terms of politically is that we have to win the races that are up next. That’s a governor’s race in New Jersey and a governor’s race in Virginia. Those two in November are going to be critically important, and we certainly have to win back control of the House of Representatives next year. Now, we’re pushing back in the Congress. We’re pushing back in the courts, and we’re pushing back in the communities, including wherever there are special elections on the campaign trail. And, in fact, Democrats are winning special elections month after month after month, including most recently a decisive one in Wisconsin earlier this month for the state Supreme Court. 

KARL: David Hogg, who I know you know, a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, he’s going to be joining us on the roundtable, and he is pursuing this effort to unseat some Democrats in safe seats through primary challenges. He’s talked about a culture of seniority politics that is not working for the party. He said, quote: We need a better Democratic Party and need to get rid of the Democrats in safe seats who do not understand what is at stake now, who are asleep at the wheel not meeting the moment and are a liability now into the future of our party. What’s your response to this idea of targeting your Dem—some of your Democratic incumbents? 

JEFFRIES: Well, I look forward to standing behind every single Democratic incumbent, from the most progressive, to the most centrist, and all points in between. They’re working hard in their communities, rising to the occasion this past week. We had, of course, Medicaid Matters Day of Action, a Save Social Security Day of Action, and we have to continue to do all of the things—rallies, town hall meetings in Democratic districts, town hall meetings in Republican districts, days of action, telephone town hall meetings, site visits, press conferences. We are in a more is more environment, and more is going to continue to be required of all of us. Now, the House is the institution that is known to be—was built to be the closest to the American people. That’s why we have elections every two years. Primaries are a fact of life. But here’s the thing: I’m going to really focus on trying to defeat Republican incumbents so we can take back control of the House of Representatives and begin the process of ending this national nightmare that’s being visited upon us by far-right extremism. 

KARL:  All right. Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, thank you for joining us before running into Easter services. We appreciate you. Have happy—have a happy Easter. 

Full interview can be watched here.

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