House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday to discuss ongoing efforts to prevent a government shutdown ahead of the October 1 deadline. The meeting also included Vice President JD Vance, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Following the meeting, controversy arose over an altered video shared on Trump’s social media. The AI-generated clip depicted Jeffries wearing a sombrero and mustache while mariachi music played in the background. MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell criticized the video and chose not to air it, calling it inappropriate and misleading. Jeffries also condemned the video, labeling it offensive and irrelevant to the serious negotiations at hand.
Jeffries used the moment to reiterate Democratic priorities, emphasizing the importance of protecting healthcare access. He accused Republicans of undermining programs like Medicaid, Medicare, and the Affordable Care Act, and claimed that GOP proposals could lead to closures of essential health services and reduced funding for medical research.
He also pushed back on Republican tax policies, arguing that prior legislation had disproportionately benefited wealthy Americans. Jeffries stated that Democrats remain unified in fighting for lower healthcare costs and in extending Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire soon, which could otherwise result in higher out-of-pocket costs for many Americans.
In contrast, Vice President JD Vance stated that Democrats’ opening demands in budget negotiations included excessive spending and funding for healthcare programs that Republicans opposed. He expressed concern that Democrats were prioritizing such measures over keeping the government open, predicting that a shutdown was likely if no compromise was reached.
As of now, Congress must pass a continuing resolution by midnight on October 1 to avoid a partial government shutdown. The House has approved a temporary extension, but the Senate has yet to act on it.
