White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt fired back Friday after House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called her “demented” and “ignorant.”
Jeffries told reporters earlier in the day that Republicans are revealing their true colors recently, arguing that they are Nazi sympathizers and anti-Semitic.
“And then you got Karoline Leavitt, who’s sick. She’s out of control. And I’m not sure whether she’s just demented, ignorant, a stone-cold liar, or all of the above,” he continued.
“But the notion that an official White House spokesperson would say that the Democratic Party consists of terrorists, violent criminals, and undocumented immigrants. This makes no sense, but this is what the American people are getting from the Trump administration in the middle of a shutdown,” Jeffries contended.
.@RepJeffries: “And then you got Karoline Leavitt, who’s sick. She’s out of control. And I’m not sure whether she’s just demented, ignorant, a stone-cold liar, or all of the above.” pic.twitter.com/ySd3fJVzRX
— CSPAN (@cspan) October 17, 2025
In a Fox News interview on Thursday, Leavitt responded to a clip of Democratic New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani repeatedly refusing to say Hamas should lay down its arms.
“This interview proved that the Democrat Party’s main constituency are made up of Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens, and violent criminals. That is who the Democrat Party is catering to,” she said.
Press Sec. Karoline Leavitt: “The Democrat party’s main constituency are made up of Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens, and violent criminals. That is who the Democrat party is catering to.”pic.twitter.com/TI7ht8vaqu
— Thomas Sowell Quotes (@ThomasSowell) October 17, 2025
In response to Jeffries’ Friday remarks, Leavitt told Fox News, “Hakeem and Democrats are lashing out because they know what I said is true.”
“The Democrat Party’s elected officials absolutely cater to pro-Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens, and violent criminals,” she said. “House Democrats voted against a resolution condemning Hamas following the horrific Oct. 7 terrorist attacks, and Democrats cheered on pro-Hamas radicals while they hijacked America’s college campuses and harassed Jewish students.
“Democrats opened our borders and allowed tens of millions of illegal aliens into our country over the past four years, including rapists and murderers, because they view them as future voters,” Leavitt continued.
The press secretary went on to argue that Democrats support soft-on-crime policies, like no-cash bail.
Leavitt concluded, “Democrats do not serve the interests of the American people. Hakeem Jeffries is an America Last, stone-cold loser. Now open up the government and stop simping to try to get your radical left-wing base to like you.”
One of the Democrats’ demands in order to vote to reopen the government is the extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies, due to expire at the end of this year.
In addition to extending the enhanced subsidies, Democrats also want other changes made to Medicaid eligibility in the “Big Beautiful Bill” passed in July, which would allow illegal aliens to receive benefits. The total cost of providing illegal aliens with health care, Republicans say, is nearly $200 billion.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune has offered Democrats to have a stand-alone vote on extending the enhanced ACA subsidies, which they apparently have not taken him up on so far.
I’m not sure how much clearer I can be, but let me give it a try:
I am willing to sit down with Democrats to discuss the growing unaffordability and unsustainability of Obamacare.
It’s a system they created, but I’m happy to hear them out. Heck, I’m even willing to give them…
— Leader John Thune (@LeaderJohnThune) October 17, 2025
“I’m not sure how much clearer I can be, but let me give it a try: I am willing to sit down with Democrats to discuss the growing unaffordability and unsustainability of Obamacare,” he posted on social media.
“It’s a system they created, but I’m happy to hear them out. Heck, I’m even willing to give them a vote. Today. Tomorrow. Next week. You name it. But there’s one condition: End the Schumer Shutdown. I will not negotiate under hostage conditions, nor will I pay a ransom. Period,” Thune wrote.
The Democrats voted on Thursday for the 10th time to keep the government shut down for what has now been 17 days.
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