CNN anchor Dana Bash challenged House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries over his claims that President Donald Trump and Republicans are responsible for the government shutdown. During a tense exchange, Jeffries asserted that Trump and his party have shut down the government and are refusing to reopen it, citing Trump’s focus on golf, Hamas, and the Chinese Communist Party over engaging with Democrats on Capitol Hill.
Bash pushed back, emphasizing that Republicans are not solely responsible for the shutdown and that the situation is more nuanced than Jeffries’ portrayal. The exchange underscores a deeper divide between the two parties over the shutdown’s cause and responsibility, with Jeffries continuing to press his narrative, asserting that the American public understands who is to blame.
Jeffries also criticized Trump for allowing SNAP benefits to lapse, highlighting what he described as the administration’s inability to address the crisis despite its past actions, such like the $40 billion bailouts for Argentina. These comments have drawn further attention to the broader political implications of the shutdown and its impact on everyday Americans.