A intense war of words has erupted between White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., as the government shutdown stretches into its third week — and the political temperature in Washington continues to climb.
It began when Leavitt, during a recent press briefing, accused the Democratic Party of “catering to pro-Hamas radicals, illegal aliens, and violent criminals,” arguing that Democrats have turned their backs on working Americans. The remarks immediately drew sharp condemnation from Jeffries, who blasted Leavitt in a Capitol Hill press conference as “sick,” “out of control,” and possibly “demented” or “ignorant.”
The exchange quickly became one of the most explosive moments yet in the bitter partisan battle over the ongoing shutdown — with both sides using the clash to define what’s at stake for the American people.
Appearing on Fox News with Sean Hannity, Leavitt didn’t hold back, striking back at Jeffries and doubling down on her criticism of the Democratic Party.
“Hakeem Jeffries is lashing out because he knows that I’m telling the truth about the modern-day Democratic Party,” Leavitt said. “What I said — and it is a fact — is that Democrats cater more to pro-Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens, and violent criminals than to hardworking, law-abiding American citizens.”
Leavitt then methodically laid out her case, citing examples that she says back up her claims. “When it comes to pro-Hamas terrorists, it was his House Democrat caucus that voted against a resolution condemning the October 7th attacks on Israel,” she said. “They encouraged the pro-Hamas protests that took over college campuses and harassed Jewish students. That’s what their record shows.”
She went on to accuse Democrats of opening U.S. borders “for political gain,” arguing that the party “views illegal immigrants as future voters.” Leavitt continued, “Democrats have allowed millions of illegal aliens to flood our country over the past four years — all while ignoring the pain of American families who are paying the price for their failed policies.”
The press secretary also hit Democrats for what she called their “soft-on-crime” agenda, pointing to bail reform and progressive prosecutors as evidence of misplaced priorities. “They support cashless bail, they defend criminals instead of victims, and they’ve turned America’s great cities into war zones,” Leavitt said. “The Democrat Party puts Americans last, every single time.”
Jeffries’ comments earlier in the day only fueled the fire. “The notion that an official White House spokesperson would say that the Democratic Party consists of terrorists, violent criminals, and undocumented immigrants makes no sense,” Jeffries said. “This is what the American people are getting from the Trump administration in the middle of a shutdown — lies, division, and chaos.”
Leavitt responded forcefully, accusing Jeffries of name-calling instead of leadership. “He should stop calling me names, stop trying to pick fights with my boss, President Trump, and start doing his job,” she said. “Americans are struggling right now, and Democrats in Congress are blocking efforts to reopen the government. That’s on them, not us.”
Leavitt defended House Republicans, arguing that they had already passed a clean continuing resolution — at the direction of President Trump — to keep the government open. “House Republicans did their job,” she said. “Now Senate Democrats and Chuck Schumer are blocking it to fight Donald Trump. It’s despicable.”
Hannity backed up Leavitt’s claim, pointing out that Democrats’ spending demands include billions in controversial funding. “They’re demanding $1.5 trillion in new spending for just seven weeks, including $200 billion for healthcare for illegals,” he said. “Meanwhile, Americans are facing longer hospital wait times and higher costs. That’s unacceptable.”
Leavitt agreed, saying the Trump administration’s focus is on protecting law-abiding citizens — not rewarding lawbreakers. “The American taxpayer shouldn’t be footing the bill for illegal aliens while our seniors and veterans are waiting for care,” she said. “That’s why President Trump is taking action to deport those who violate our laws and put Americans first.”
Leavitt closed by emphasizing President Trump’s broader focus on peace and security — both at home and abroad. “The President has spent this week working tirelessly on peace efforts — from the Middle East to Eastern Europe,” she said. “He’s showing real leadership while Democrats in Congress play political games.”
As tensions continue to rise on Capitol Hill, the feud between Leavitt and Jeffries has become a symbol of the larger political divide gripping Washington. Both parties are digging in — Republicans accusing Democrats of obstruction, Democrats blasting Republicans for extremism — and neither side appears ready to back down.
For now, the fight over words may be just as fierce as the fight over policy. And in the middle of it all, Karoline Leavitt has made one thing clear: she’s not backing away from this battle.
“Hakeem Jeffries can call me whatever names he wants,” she said. “The truth still stands — and the American people know exactly who’s fighting for them.”