Jeffries shuts down Trump's plan to link L.A. fire money to debt limit

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Axios

Updated 12 hours ago


House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Thursday that it is a "non-starter" to attach California wildfire aid to a debt limit increase, throwing cold water on an idea floated by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La).

Why it matters: Given Johnson's narrow margins in the House, any dissent from House Democrats could further complicate the speaker's efforts to strike a deal ahead of the looming showdown over raising the federal borrowing cap.

Jeffries said Thursday that Republicans had not "opened up any line of communication" about possible spending deals, which he said presumably means "that they intend ... to avoid a government shutdown on their own and to raise the debt ceiling on their own."

President Trump has suggested he wants the debt ceiling taken off his plate so congressional Democrats can't use it as leverage.

But to do so would likely take Democratic support, given fiscally conservative Republicans' distaste for raising the borrowing cap.

Driving the news: Jeffries also said Thursday that he has not had any conversation with Trump about his efforts to extend tax cuts enacted during his first term.

"I have not had any communication with the president or the incoming administration on the issue of the GOP tax scam," Jeffries said.

Trump, in virtual remarks earlier Thursday to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, said: "We're working with the Democrats on getting an extension of the original Trump tax cuts."

State of play: Johnson said last week that he wants to raise the limit through the end of Trump's presidency, floating the prospect of tying it to LA wildfire aid.

Read more: https://www.axios.com/2025/01/23/jeffries-debt-limit-california-aid

[Think. Again.]

1. The nazi's have the majority, they'll have to do it all on their own.

NO nazi SYMPATHIZERS ALLOWED.

[Sparky 1]

2. We're very lucky to have Jeffries

[tishaLA]

5. I wish he'd appear on every damn Sunday morning chat show

At least once a month. He's fantastic at messaging and knocking down wingnut talking points.

[Magoo48]

9. I'd rather see him once per week on the steps of Congress, backed by

ALL of his fellows, giving us our marching orders and reviewing what they ALL did in the previous week.

[tishaLA]

19. I'll take both

I feel like one of our big problems is that we don't have enough elected officials out there telling our story in easily digestible, every day speech. AOC does it well, as does Jasmine Crockett We need places other than MSNBC to platform them frequently.

[mwooldri]

3. My guess is...

Johnson can't corral all of his party together to pass a measure to increase the debt ceiling. As such, the House won't be able to pass this, the government will shut down, and the Democrats can blame Trump (and rightly so).

[Ray Bruns]

4. Stinky needs his debt limit increase so he can keep his tax cuts. Even he knows

He can’t cut enough programs to pay for the tax cuts.

Cue the House Freedom caucus screaming in

https://m.

Hello. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

[Magoo48]

10. Love it.

[Bengus81]

6. Everyone had to know Trump would try that stunt. He'll use any disaster to try and get what he wants.

[DENVERPOPS]

11. I think there are laws against that......

It's called EXTORTION, but the USSC has made him immune for any criminal act he wishes to inflict on anyone who doesn't fall in line and kiss his ring.........

He did the same thing during his first occupation of the Whitehouse, Covid PPE going to Red States like Florida, and being denied from going to Massachusetts......etc

The RepubliCON politicians, RepubliCON Party, and Trump's CABAL are nothing more than a Massive Criminal Syndicate of Organized Crime, no different than the Mafia......

[Frank D. Lincoln]

7. I fully support and praise Hakeem Jeffries on his stance.

Don't negotiate with 'terrorists,' which is what the GOP has become for all practical purposes.

[dchill]

18. Practical AND impractical. Government by extortion only works...

...when you have the leverage.

[Lulu KC]

8. Thank you, Hakeem!

I think it's more important than ever to recognize strength.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

12. trump says he is conditioning aid to California following LA wildfires

tft is now going to condition aid on voter id
https://bsky.app/profile/ecmclaughlin.bsky.social/post/3lgj3cupnlk2d

Link to tweet

https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-president-news-01-24-25

President Donald Trump told reporters Friday that he will be conditioning aid to California following the devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area, demanding the “water to be released.” He also said he wants voter ID in the state.

“I want two things. I want voter ID for the people of California, and they all want it right now. You have no, you don’t have voter ID. People want to have voter identification. You want to have proof of citizenship. Ideally, you have one day voting. But I just want voter ID as a start,” Trump told reporters upon landing in North Carolina.

“And I want the water to be released, and they’re going to get a lot of help from the US,” he added.

It is an unusual political demand for the president to make, and one that politicizes disaster relief in a state that is reeling from the wildfires.

[FakeNoose]

13. K & R for Democratic Leadership

[ReRe]

14. I ought to know, but here's a question:

Has any other President conditioned aid to a state after a natural disaster (really a man-made disaster, re EXON)? I hate this man so much that my mind is blocked. I think the answer is NO. To me, only a criminal mind could come up with such a thing. Right?

[BumRushDaShow]

15. Not a President

but the GOP *ALWAYS* does this sort of nonsense when it comes to disasters in blue states.

One of the most egregious examples was after Hurricane/Super Storm Sandy hit NJ & NY and the NY delegation of Republicans went batshit crazy (notably Peter King) when the game-playing began with providing funding.

[ReRe]

16. You're right.

I should have remembered that. Thank you for these clips. But the ones who opposed the aid funding were Republicans..
And now, we're cursed with 4 more years with the worst scoundrel Republicans could find, and low and behold we have more natural disasters. . Aid is needed almost everywhere we look and the blue state aid comes with "conditions". It's no wonder Republicans don't like history.

[BumRushDaShow]

17. It's a Republican thing - but ONLY against "blue states"

One of the biggest objectors of disaster aid has always been Ted Cruz... until several hurricanes (notably Hurricane Harvey), a nasty cold snap, and ice storms hit his state, resulting in power failures, while he flew off to Cancun.

And they do this intentionally knowing that no matter who or where, Democrats de-politicize and are trying to HELP people. Republicans don't give a damn about people except for themselves (and how they appear that day).