House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) sharply criticized President Donald Trump during a Wednesday appearance on MS NOW’s Morning Joe, pointing out that the president’s State of the Union address on Tuesday evening failed to confront rising costs and reflected what he called an abdication of congressional responsibility by Republicans.
Responding to Trump’s claim that Democrats are to blame for high prices, Jeffries said the speech was “riddled with dirty, rotten lies”—using the president’s own words against him—particularly on affordability. He pointed to Trump’s campaign promise to lower costs immediately upon taking office and argued that prices have instead continued to climb. Millions of Americans, Jeffries said, are working hard yet struggling to make ends meet, living paycheck to paycheck and unable to get ahead.
Jeffries also took aim at Republican lawmakers who repeatedly stood and applauded during the address, even when Trump asserted he could impose tariffs without congressional approval. Describing what he called “cult-like behavior,” Jeffries said members of the majority party have surrendered their role as a co-equal branch of government and acted as “rubber stamps” for the president’s agenda.
In his view, that deference has come at the expense of solutions to everyday problems. He stated that Republicans have failed to address cost-of-living concerns, healthcare reform, and immigration in a way that benefits ordinary Americans. By contrast, he praised Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger for focusing her response on lowering costs and presenting what he described as a more grounded vision.
Jeffries Calls For ‘Full Transparency And Full Accoutability’ On The Epstein Files
The conversation also turned to ongoing questions surrounding the handling of records connected to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Jeffries noted that at least fourteen survivors were present in the House chamber as guests of Democrats during the president’s speech. He said he met with several of them beforehand and commended their persistence in demanding transparency and accountability.
Jeffries criticized the Department of Justice (DOJ) for failing to fully comply with disclosure obligations related to Epstein-linked documents. While acknowledging that some progress has been made, he said millions of pages remain undisclosed. Citing Abraham Lincoln’s observation that “public sentiment is everything,” Jeffries argued that continued public pressure —led by the survivors—will be essential to securing full transparency.
Throughout the interview, Jeffries framed the contrast as one between a president focused on self-congratulation backed by a miserably complicit Republican Party and a Democratic caucus centered on accountability, affordability, and the defense of institutional norms.
