Jeffries dismisses Trump’s high approval ratings: ‘Just at the beginning’ – Washington Examiner

Asher NotheisFebruary 16, 2025

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House Minority Leader Hakeem ⁣Jeffries (D-NY) recently criticized polling data that indicated high approval ratings for ⁣President⁤ Donald Trump. Jeffries argued that this support is‌ misleading, asserting that voters are merely at the beginning of Trump’s second presidential term and that key issues, such as the rising cost of living, remain unaddressed. He pointed⁣ out that prices, including groceries, are increasing instead of decreasing, contradicting Trump’s promises to lower costs for everyday Americans.

In response to recent polls showing public support for some of Trump’s executive orders, Jeffries emphasized the need for ⁣real change, particularly regarding inflation and the ⁢economy, which he believes ⁢significantly influenced voter decisions in the recent elections. He‍ acknowledged the necessity of‌ securing‌ U.S. borders but advocated for protecting “dreamers” and foreign workers.

Jeffries was noted as a potential ⁢voice against Trump’s agenda within the⁢ Democratic Party, even though he refrained from confirming any ambitions beyond his current role as ⁤House Democratic⁤ Leader.

Jeffries dismisses Trump’s high approval ratings: ‘Just at the beginning’

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) pushed back against polling data giving President Donald Trump high approval, suggesting voters are only “at the beginning” of his second presidential term.

The polling data, recently released by Marquette University, found that a majority of respondents favor numerous executive orders issued by the president, including 63% who favor the government recognizing only two genders, male and female, and 60% who both support deporting illegal immigrants and support the expansion of oil and gas production. In response, Jeffries pointed to the cost of living not yet going down, claiming that Trump has broken a campaign promise to voters.

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“Let me say as it relates to all of those issues, we’re just at the beginning, and the core promise that Donald Trump made is that he’s going to lower costs for everyday Americans,” Jeffries argued on ABC News’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos. “In fact, we were told that grocery prices would go down on day one, on January 20th. Costs aren’t lower. In fact, costs are increasing. The price of eggs is skyrocketing out of control. Inflation is on the way up. That was the core promise that’s been broken.”

On the topic of immigration, Jeffries acknowledged that the United States needs to secure its border, and that the country also needs to fix its “broken” immigration system. However, he added that he and other Democratic lawmakers would protect “dreamers” and “foreign workers” across the nation.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum argued last week that the reason energy prices have yet to go down since Trump’s inauguration is partially due to how the previous administration worked to “shove money out the door” in its final days.

Following the 2024 election, in which Trump beat then-Vice President Kamala Harris in both the popular vote and the Electoral College, Jeffries admitted that both inflation and the economy played an “outsized role” in how people voted.

“I think it’s definitely clear that the economy, inflation, and to a lesser extent, issues connected to the border played an outsized role in how many voters made their electoral decisions, particularly as it relates to their support for the former president,” Jeffries stated in November.

Jeffries has been considered by some as a possible voice for the Democratic Party in opposing Trump’s agenda for the U.S., with former Minnesota lawmaker and 2024 presidential candidate Dean Phillips calling the House minority leader a “rising star.” However, Jeffires did not provide a direct answer when asked about this, stating that he is honored to be “House Democratic Leader.”