"I don't give a damn": Jeffries defends "maximum warfare" remark [View all]

Source: Axios

2 hours ago


House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Monday fiercely defended his use of the phrase "maximum warfare" to describe Democrats' redistricting efforts.

Why it matters: Republicans have characterized the remark as an example of the type of inflammatory rhetoric that can spark political violence following the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting.

After Virginians narrowly voted last week to approve a new map that could give Democrats a 10-1 majority, Jeffries said at a press conference: "We are in an era of maximum warfare, everywhere, all the time."

It was a direct reference to an anonymous source's characterization of the White House's strategy on mid-decade redistricting in a New York Times story last summer.

What they're saying: "As it relates to the comment related to 'maximum warfare, everywhere, all the time,' in connection with the redistricting battle that Republicans launched, I stand by it," Jeffries said at a press conference Monday.

Addressing "so-called criticism from these phony Republicans," Jeffries said: "You can continue to criticize me for it. I don't give a damn about the criticism ... get lost."

Jeffries noted that the phrase originated from a source that the Times described as being "close to" President Trump.

Read more: https://www.axios.com/2026/04/27/hakeem-jeffries-trump-whcd-maximum-warfare

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