House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries could do little but stand in the frame and appear uncomfortable during a Thursday interview on CNBC, as host Joe Kernen broke down the reasons he believed Democrats were fighting a losing battle in the ongoing government shutdown.
Jeffries spoke to Kernen about the shutdown — which has just passed the week mark — and attempted to justify the fact that Democrats were holding out in a blatant effort to undo by temper tantrum what Republicans had done through the legislative process.
WATCH:
🚨 BREAKING: Hakeem Jeffries was just EMBARRASSED for holding the government hostage…holy smokes. This was bad.
CNBC: “There was an ELECTION. Republicans were able to pass the Big Beautiful Bill. To then say, ‘We don’t like that, so we’re gonna shut down the government until… pic.twitter.com/wlcxytaZC6
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) October 9, 2025
“There was an election, and the Republicans were put in a position where they were able to pass the Big Beautiful Bill, or as you call it the ‘Big Ugly Bill.’ To then say, ‘We don’t like any of that, so we’re going to shut down the government until you take back all the things that you duly passed through legislation …'” Kernen began, arguing that if the shoe were on the other foot, Democrats would be angry — and rightfully so.
“If Republicans had tried to do that to the Inflation Reduction Act or the — any of the acts that Biden and that administration have passed — if they said we’re going to shut down the government because we don’t like any of those things you did, ‘we’re not going to pay our military, we are going to not allow the government to reopen until you do what we want’ – after an election where the American people put Democrats in power – you’d be going crazy!” he said.
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“It’s not how it works! It’s bad, it’s bad precedent!” Kernen continued, noting that the Continuing Resolution — which would at least temporarily reopen the government — had already passed the House, but needed a handful of Senate votes.
Jeffries attempted to pivot, saying, “What is bad precedent is the Republican refusal to engage in bipartisan negotiations! … They’ve made the decision to shut the government down, they could open it now!”
“How could they do that?!” Kernen asked.
“I just explained it! The reality is they want to keep the government closed. Cruelty, from the very beginning of this administration, has been the point. The responsible thing to do is to sit down and negotiate a bipartisan path forward to address a very real health care crisis that’s upon us right now!” Jeffries said, visibly frustrated. He left out the fact that the only negotiations Democrats have said they’d agree to would necessarily include — as Kernen said — the undoing of provisions that Republicans passed as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill.
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