Leader Jeffries Discusses Trump’s State of the Union Disaster

0:00Hakeem Jeffries:When you want your spring break to feel like... And your kid's pool day to feel like... And your hotel bed to feel like... Ooh, and room service to feel like... Because at Hilton, hospitality feels like...

0:19Ben Meiselas:Your cabana's ready. Would you like fresh towels?

0:21Hakeem Jeffries:It matters where you stay. Book now at Hilton.com. Hilton. For this day. I'm R.J. Decker, a private investigator uncovering the sunshine state's darkest secrets. Tuesday, it's the premiere of ABC's hottest new crime show. R.J. freaking Decker as I live and breathe. He's a private eye. It's not a standard murder. It's someone bigger. And a public mass. Trying to get sent back to prison today? You go to prison one time and suddenly it's all the jokes. R.J.

0:54Ben Meiselas:Decker, series premiere, Tuesday on ABC and stream on Hulu.

1:00Hakeem Jeffries:Tax Act understands you haven't memorized the tax code. That's why Tax Act has live experts to help. Tax Act can even do it for you if you prefer. It's the easiest way to know you're doing it right. Well, other than going back to college and obtaining a bachelor's degree in accounting with a minor in finance, then interning somewhere and becoming fluent in all tax forms. But that might be hard to accomplish before tax day. So maybe just stick with Tax Act. Tax Act. Let's get them over with. chronic migraine 15 or more headache days a month each lasting four hours or more can make me feel like a spectator in my own life botox on a botulinum toxin a prevents headaches in adults with chronic migraine it's not for those with 14 or fewer headache days a month it's the number one prescribed branded chronic migraine preventive treatment prescription botox is injected by your doctor effects of botox may spread hours to weeks after injection causing serious symptoms alert your doctor right away as difficulty swallowing speaking breathing eye problems or muscle weakness can be signs of a life-threatening condition.

2:00Hakeem Jeffries:Patients with these conditions before injection are at highest risk. Side effects may include allergic reactions, neck and injection site pain, fatigue, and headache. Allergic reactions can include rash, welts, asthma symptoms, and dizziness. Don't receive Botox if there's a skin infection. Tell your doctor your medical history, muscle or nerve conditions, including ALS Lou Gehrig's disease, myasthenia gravis or Lambert-Eaton syndrome, and medications, including botulinum toxins, as these may increase the risk of serious side effects. Why wait? Ask your doctor, visit BotoxChronicMigraine.com, or call 1-800-44-BOTOX to learn more.

2:30Hakeem Jeffries:The best part of waking up? A full cup of Folgers coffee and music on full blast. Wake me up! Wake me up inside! Save me! I'll wake up at me With a big smile on my face The moment I wake up I fall on my face The best part of waking up Is Folgers in your cup Shop Folgers K-Cup Pods and more at your nearest retailer.

3:00Ben Meiselas:Oh, man. So, MAGA Mike Johnson, the Republican Speaker of the House, just held a press conference where he attacked the Midas Touch Network. I kid you not. He attacked our counter-programming to the State of the Union, which is called the People's State of the Union, right here on the Midas Touch Network. We are boycotting the State of the Union here on this network. We will be bringing you from the National Mall with the Capitol in the background, the people state of the union. So here's what Maga Mike had to say about us. And he goes, these far leftist extremists, they're doing boycotts and they're being so disrespectful to dear leader.

3:37Ben Meiselas:And then after doing that, Maga Mike ran away. He literally took no questions. So he attacks us, then runs away. Let me play you the first clip of him attacking us. Play this clip.

3:48Hakeem Jeffries:This evening, the entire country will hear an update on the full scope of President Trump's transformational and historic first year back in office. The results speak for themselves. Why does he have so much to talk about? Because inflation is down, wages are up, investment is booming, the GDP is exceeding every expectation. Democrats meanwhile are going to host, count them, five separate counter events, rallies of some sort they call them, in lieu of tonight's address. For all of these theatrics, it doesn't matter how many little gatherings they have or where they stand or how high the volume is on the microphones.

4:24Hakeem Jeffries:They have nothing to offer. Nothing but their TDS agenda, the Trump derangement syndrome, and it's on full display. All they can say, all they can tell you about is how they oppose President Trump and thwart his agenda and shut down the government and protest everything from the president's joint address to basic immigration enforcement and they obstruct any meaningful progress for the sake of obstruction. It's the same tired playbook that they've run for a decade now. It's shameful that they would boycott an address. We don't do that. Republicans don't do that. It doesn't matter if there's a president from the opposing party.

4:56Hakeem Jeffries:We don't skip out. Our constituents want and need us to be here. Every member of this house represents over 750 ,000 people. They're disenfranchised if you're not sitting in the seat to be a part of the role and the responsibility of Congress. I think it's shameful. Republicans have a far simpler and far superior message for Americans watching at home. We're putting more money back in your pockets. We're restoring peace through strength. We're defending our border and deporting criminal illegal aliens. We're standing up for American industry and manufacturing. And we're making American workers, not foreign countries, the clear winners in this American economy.

5:34Hakeem Jeffries:Those are not talking points. That is what we have delivered. It's called Republican results. And we are proud to run on that message.

5:41Ben Meiselas:Then that just drags on and it keeps on going. And then he finishes what he's saying. And then he just runs away. no questions, which is very odd because it was a press conference. So the entire point of your press conference, Maga Mike was to attack us over like the course of two minutes and then run away from the press. Great work, Maga Mike. Here, play this clip.

6:02Hakeem Jeffries:I think tonight's going to be a great celebration of America and all that we've achieved together. So we're looking forward to that. Thank Thank you all so much.

6:17Ben Meiselas:So then MAGA Republican Jim Jordan had to do some cleanup because MAGA Mike attacking us was a bit of a disaster. And what the hell was that? So Jim Jordan goes on CNN. He's speaking to the American people, right? And so on CNN, they say to him, so Trump's polling is really bad, right? Like only 26 % of independents support him. What do you make of that, Jim Jordan? Here, play this clip. Okay, so President Trump, you look at the polls,

6:45Hakeem Jeffries:they're not good right now. It's yesterday, before you jump in. This is the independ - Remember, among independents, 26 % of independents approve of Trump's handling of his job right now. He's now gonna have the biggest audience that he'll have up until the midterms. Yeah. But how concerned are you about the president standing among independents right now? Well, there's plenty of time to change that. And I think tonight's speech, the president's going to do what I what I think you have to do in all campaigns. He's going to tell them what what we've accomplished. He's going to tell them what we still need to do.

7:19Hakeem Jeffries:And I think, frankly, he's going to remind the 30 million or so Americans who watch this that, you know, the left is crazy. Every policy position they take is truly crazy. He's going to say the left is crazy. I think he's going to give examples of all that.

7:32Ben Meiselas:I mean, it's. Manu Raju actually does a really good interview here because Jim Jordan was trying to clean up for Mag and Mike attacking us. And then Manu Raju says, also, 72 % of Americans think that the economy is fair or poor. It's really bad right now, Jim Jordan. Wouldn't you agree? And Jim Jordan's like, but Biden, but Biden. Here, play this clip.

7:56Hakeem Jeffries:And you know what? Let me jump in because he also said he was going to reduce prices on day one while in office. And just as his own data from his own government says that the rate of price increases for all food up 3%, up meat, poultry, fish, and eggs, up 2%, all the way down the list, a number of items, prices are still high. And on top of that, voters don't think he's doing a particularly good job about the economy or concerned about the safety of the economy. 72 % of the American public thinks the economy is fair or poor. And that's consistent with other polling. It's not easy to recover from all the ridiculous things and the rapid inflation, the record inflation that we had under Joe Biden.

8:34Ben Meiselas:More from the exchange between Manu Raju and Jim Jordan here. Raju says, so should your committee look into Kash Patel using taxpayer dollars to go and party and chug beer with the Olympic hockey gold medal team? I think that's a good I think that's a good look for the FBI and Jim Jordan, who, by the way, chairs the Judiciary Committee. Jim Jordan is not a licensed lawyer. He never took the bar exam, never passed the bar exam, which my view is not a problem. But you shouldn't be the chair of the Judiciary Committee. I'm just saying he goes, I don't think there's anything wrong with the FBI doing that.

9:13Ben Meiselas:That's what that's it. That's that's a sweet American pie moment. Here, play this clip.

9:18Hakeem Jeffries:There's this viral moment with Kash Patel, the FBI director, when he was celebrating the great victory for the United States over Canada in the hockey game. Of course, I'm sure you've seen it. He was celebrating in the locker room. There it is on the screen. You know, that aside, there have been just questions about his use of government jets, FBI jets, for personal travel. There was questions about visiting a girlfriend, a golf trip in Scotland, a luxury hunting retreat. I mean, Patel himself was critical of Comey, of former FBI directors for use of personal government jets. Should your committee look into his use of federal jets for personal issues?

9:56Hakeem Jeffries:Mano, this was as all-American apple pie moment as possible. I'm talking about all this, though. The American men's team, the American women's team played unbelievable hockey. No one doubts that. No one doubts it. It was a great game. Did you see Jack Hughes' interview? Jack Hughes, like, he said, I'm so proud to be an American. I'm proud of my team. It was like, it was his apple pie as it gets. And you guys are going to talk about Cash Patel. No, I'm talking about his use of government resources to do personal things. I'm sure you got it because of conservative. Because Cash Patel, I just want to say, when he said, he said about Chris Ray, he said back in 2023, I'm just saying Chris Ray doesn't need a government-funded G5 jet to goldification.

10:34Hakeem Jeffries:Maybe we ground that plane. $15 ,000 every time it takes off. Well, I think on this specific trip, he's probably, I mean, he's celebrating with the American team because it was a great American moment, unbelievable American moment. But I think he was over there because of security, looking at security. We got the Olympics coming to LA in two years. The FBI, I'm sure, is going to be involved in making sure things are secure for the spectators, for the athletes, for people who are coming there. He's doing all that.

11:01Ben Meiselas:What about the Epstein survivors who will be in attendance at the State of the Union? Jim Jordan? Should Trump meet with them? What do you think? Here play this clip.

11:09Hakeem Jeffries:The speech tonight, a number of Democratic members are bringing in survivors, Jeffrey Epstein survivors as their guests. Some of those survivors have asked President Trump for a meeting to meet with them. Should the president meet with them? I leave that to the White House. Would it be a good idea to interview? Everyone knows that the president didn't do anything wrong because if he had, you don't think the Garland Justice Department in the Biden administration would have brought something up? I mean, everyone knows he didn't do anything wrong here. Our Justice Department is complying with the legislation we passed and with the courts and getting that information out there as the law requires.

11:42Hakeem Jeffries:And as the courts have required, making sure you protect people who should be protected, but getting the information to Congress, as we as it said in the law, we pass.

11:50Ben Meiselas:For more, I want to bring in Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries to talk about all of this and talk about Donald Trump's new tariffs against the world after losing in the United States Supreme Court. I want to bring a Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries. We're doing this interview right on the day of the state of the union. Our state of the union is it's being run by a con artist, a fraud, a bankruptor who's now doing to the country what he did with his businesses. And that's why he drove his businesses into the ground, Congressman. That's absolutely correct. The state of the union under Donald Trump is a complete and total disaster.

12:23Ben Meiselas:This guy has failed on the economy, failed on health care, failed on immigration enforcement, which should be fair, just, and humane and instead ICE agents are terrorizing and brutalizing law-abiding immigrant families and American citizens including killing them as was tragically the case with Renee Nicole Good and Alex Preddy. So this is a disaster and the American people know it and the Supreme Court thankfully did the right thing as it relates to the decision to declare his tariffs unlawful and unconstitutional. And now the fight is on to get the money back to the American people. You know, and we've heard his team saying, it's not up to us.

13:09Ben Meiselas:It's up to the courts. No, it's you stole our money. It's actually up to you. Now you give back the money. The Supreme Court ruling was actually very clear. If what you did was unlawful, what you did was stealing, You took from us. So when that happens, you give it back. You are utterly morally compromised when you read that Supreme Court ruling and you're utterly demented like the Trump regime. When they read it and go, you know what the Supreme Court actually said? Not only do we not give it back, but now we impose more tariffs against the world. And that's what they did. And the rest of the world's like horrified and shocked.

13:45Ben Meiselas:That was their response. It's unbelievable. I mean, the reality is Donald Trump promised the American people that he would lower costs on day one. He lied. Costs haven't gone down. Costs have gone up. He hasn't focused on it at all. We know that housing costs are out of control. Grocery costs are out of control. The cost of healthcare is out of control, particularly given the Republican refusal to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, jamming up more than 20 million American childcare care costs out of control and electricity bills are out of control. And then in that kind of context where the affordability crisis is very real, it's not a hoax, Donald, it's very real.

14:25Ben Meiselas:We see the Trump tariffs being imposed, creating thousands of dollars of additional cost on the American people. And now the Republicans refusing to return your money. And so we're in this fight until we win this fight, both in the House and the Senate. We'll be introducing legislation to try to force the Trump administration to actually refund the money that was unlawfully and unconstitutionally taken away from the American people. That's the state of the union. The state of Donald Trump seems to be cognitively and physically deteriorating before our eyes. I mean, he's making posts that he's sending hospital ships to Greenland and he's just making it up.

15:07Ben Meiselas:And the Pentagon's like, yeah, that's not happening at all. The people of Greenland are like, what the hell are you even talking about? I mean, he's giving these bizarre speeches where he keeps talking about men wanting to violently kiss him and that he's going to be a good boy. He goes, I got to be a good boy. And when you watch these speeches of him, he can complete sentences. And I'm not trying to be hyperbolic. Everybody is noticing this about him. And what's your reaction just to his physical and cognitive behavior, Leader Jeffries? Donald Trump was clearly never qualified to be the president of the United States of America.

15:43Ben Meiselas:That was the case 10 years ago when unfortunately he was first elected. It certainly is the case right now. And as you've pointed out, he is deteriorating before our very eyes, having difficulty stringing any coherent thoughts together, let alone functioning as the commander in chief and someone who is supposed to be making life better for the American people. What's unfortunate is that my Republican colleagues in the House and in the Senate continue to bury their heads in the sand. They know something is wrong, but it doesn't matter to them because they are part of a cult-like situation. Instead of functioning like a separate and co-equal branch of government, which is what the Congress is designed to be, they'd rather perform like a reckless rubber stamp to Donald Trump's extreme agenda, which is why we got to make sure that there's real accountability for them in november yeah you know they're protecting the epstein class we've seen now with the files uh that have been produced and mind you that's still a small fraction uh the epstein files that have been produced many are saying that it can only be two percent of what's out there and there may be 50 terabytes that are still being covered up by donald trump and this frankly criminal cartel that's become his department of Justice.

17:04Ben Meiselas:Look, a lot of Epstein survivors are going to be at the State of the Union. You know, separately, you know, the Midas Touch Network, we have our event, the People's State of the Union. So it seems either people will be at the People's State of the Union or there will be defiance within the State of the Union itself, silent defiance, but a powerful message being sent by these survivors who will be there, you know, as Donald Trump and his regime refuses to even look at them. Talk to us about the impact of the survivors being there and even filling the seats or areas where some members aren't going to be attended.

17:39Ben Meiselas:Yeah, it's a very powerful message to have the Epstein survivors who have been so strong, so brave, and so courageous in demanding and pushing for both transparency and accountability and to have them in the House of Representatives staring down the president of the United States of America, I think will be a moment to be remembered. At the same period of time, we're thankful for the event that you've put together that will also be well attended by members of Congress and other advocates to be able to push back in real time against the lies that Donald Trump is telling to the American people. So it's an all hands on deck approach, But we're going to continue to stand strongly behind the Epstein survivors as the American people are standing strongly behind them in their righteous demands for full transparency and accountability.

18:37Ben Meiselas:The Department of Justice and the Trump administration have failed the survivors. They failed to comply with the law. They're withholding documents, clearly. And we're going to continue to present the question to them and to the American people, what is the Trump cartel hiding? because we know they're hiding something. Before we go, Leader Jeffries, just any final message to the American people? You know, there's a lot of bad news out there, but I do think people are starting to feel glimpses of hope of what a future could look like in a post regime, post Trump regime world. You know, he's thrown everything, you know, at the people, but the people have remained resilient, I think, through it all.

19:21Ben Meiselas:And the people don't want this crap, We don't want mass diagents terrorizing and torturing us. We don't want health care being ripped away. We want affordable housing. We want to go about to live our lives in normalcy. And there are glimpses of that in the future emerging. And we see, you know, signs of that throughout the country. So before we go, what do you want the American people to know? Well, the American people have been incredibly resilient, and we're going to continue to stand behind them to get this national nightmare resolved, to turn the situation around, to make sure we continue to forcefully push back against them.

19:53Ben Meiselas:The American people are rising up. Democrats have won elections now for 14 consecutive months. We've stopped their gerrymandering scheme, and we're even seeing some meaningful victories before this conservative Supreme Court. Still more work to be done in that regard. But Donald Trump and the MAGA extremists have failed in their effort to break America, which was their goal during the first 100 days and beyond. Instead, Donald Trump and the extremists are on the run. And as Democrats, we're going to continue to forcefully push back against them while fighting for an America where you work hard, you play by the rules.