House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized President Trump for making an “irresponsible statement” about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) being linked to a deadly plane crash near Ronald Reagan National Airport on Wednesday.
Jeffries said, “Bodies are still being recovered from the Potomac River. Children, future Olympians, and future leaders from places like Wichita, Kansas, were killed in this tragedy. We don’t need false information or distractions from the President.”
He added, “There is no evidence at all that women or people of color are responsible for this crash.”
Jeffries called the crash a national tragedy and said the country needs leadership and honesty from the President. He also criticized Trump’s plan to pause billions of dollars in federal grants and loans, calling it a “Republican scheme to cheat Americans.”
Jeffries, along with Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Yvette Clarke and representatives from programs like Head Start and Meals on Wheels, spoke out against the funding freeze, which was reversed earlier this week. He said the freeze was “wrong, unfair, and un-American,” and part of a plan to cut taxes for billionaires and big corporations while making everyday Americans pay for it.
Jeffries compared himself to baseball player Aaron Judge, saying he doesn’t react to every issue but focuses on the important ones. He ended his speech by promising to keep fighting against what he called the Republican “agenda.”
On Wednesday, President Trump’s budget office canceled the plan to freeze federal spending—at least for now.
