House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is sounding off on President Donald Trump’s comments about DEI playing a role in the plane crash and his plan to pause billions of dollars in federal grants and loans.
Friday, January 31, 2025 6:08PM
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NEW YORK (WABC) — House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is sounding off on President Donald Trump’s plan to pause billions of dollars in federal grants and loans.
He called the freeze a “Republican rip-off scheme.”
Flanked by representatives from Head Start, Meals on Wheels, and public safety and violence prevention programs that receive federal aid, Jeffries and Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Yvette Clarke Clarke criticized the funding freeze that was rescinded earlier this week.
“The Federal funding freeze that was put into place this week was unlawful, unconscionable, and unamerican,” Jeffries said, adding “It was part of an effort to rip off American people connected to a Republican scheme to cut taxes for billionaires and wealthy corporations and force everyday Americans, working class Americans, low income Americans, and middle class Americans to pay for it. It wasn’t acceptable — I’m going to fight hard to make sure it never happens.”
Jeffries compared himself to his favorite Yankee, Aaron Judge, because he does not swing at every pitch.
“One of the reasons that he’s a great hitter is because he does not swing at every pitch. He waits for the right one and then he swings. We’re not going to swing at every pitch, we’re going to swing at the ones that matter,” Jeffries said.
Jeffries emphatically ended his press conference by pledging to continue fighting against the Republican “agenda.”
“House Democrats, Senate Democrats, Democratic governors and everyday Americans all across the country rose up in defiance as it relates to the illegal, unlawful and extreme federal funding freeze that is part of the Republican rip off agenda,” he said. “We fought it, we stopped it, and we will never surrender.”
On Wednesday, President Trump’s budget office rescinded the memo freezing federal spending – for now.
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Josh Einiger reports from Washington, DC.
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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is sounding off on President Donald Trump’s comments about DEI playing a role in the plane crash and his plan to pause billions of dollars in federal grants and loans.
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