Jeffries says he hopes Democrats remember after primaries ‘enemy is Donald Trump’

News Jeffries says he hopes Democrats remember after primaries ‘enemy is Donald Trump’ Comments: by Ryan Mancini - 06/25/26 6:23 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Ryan Mancini - 06/25/26 6:23 PM ET Comments: Link copied

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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Wednesday he hopes Democrats remember that after the primary elections are over, the party’s “enemy is Donald Trump.”

MS NOW’s Jen Psaki spoke with Jeffries about Israel playing a role in the New York Democratic primary. She asked Jeffries about his reflection on the issue and how Democratic voters may have made their decision to unseat pro-Israel incumbents based on the party’s support for Israel amid its nearly three-year war in Gaza.

“I think for us as House Democrats, we’re just hopeful that everybody recognizes once we get through this primary season, that the enemy is Donald Trump and MAGA extremism in terms of trying to bring about the type of America that we all desire, where when you work hard and play by the rules, working class folks can live a comfortable life, an affordable life and a good life,” Jeffries said after a lengthy answer.

New York races on Tuesday saw Democratic candidates who have been vocal critics of Israel’s government and who have led or taken part in pro-Palestinian protests defeat incumbents who have shown support to Israel in the years after the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Several of the New York Democratic House challengers who won included former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander (D), Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier.

Jeffries told Psaki that he supports Israel’s right to exist and that he backs “the aspirations of the Palestinian people to achieve the dignity, respect, autonomy and self-determination that they appropriately desire, and we need to find a just and lasting peace.”

But Jeffries noted that Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), a staunch defender of Israel, “was running against somebody who was heavily critical of Ritchie Torres’s position on Israel, and he won by 50 points.”

“And so, listen. I think at the end of the day, individual congressional districts, the beauty of it, all are made up by a diverse group of people who have a diverse set of perspectives on a wide variety of issues,” he said.

At the end of the interview, Psaki said the party is “a big diverse coalition.”

“I also think you learn a lot from elections too, sometimes,” she said with a smile.

Challengers who won the state’s Democratic primaries were also backed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and the organization’s prominent member in the Big Apple, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D). The mayor was also challenged during his campaign last year for his criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza.

Democratic socialism became more in vogue among progressive Democrats following Sen. Bernie Sanders’s (I-Vt.) two presidential campaigns. His failed bids for the presidency inspired some dissatisfied with the Democratic Party’s response to Trump and on legislation that it led several DSA-affiliated candidates, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), to run for office and win.