House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) crumbled like a sandcastle in a hurricane when questioned on the ongoing healthcare battle in Congress.
The exchange came as Congress debates extending subsidies for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which are set to expire at the end of the year. During the interview, Quick pressed Jeffries on why Democrats have failed at persuading enough Republican lawmakers to come to an agreement.
Quick asked, “Why not start with a one-year extension or potentially even a two-year extension?” to get enough Republicans to vote for an extension.”
Jeffries began his answer by deflecting to Republicans’ rejection of a provision in the recent spending deal that would have extended the subsidies for another year as part of a deal to end the Schumer Shutdown. “Well, [Senate Minority] Leader [Chuck] Schumer offered a one-year extension in the context of trying to end the Trump Republican shutdown —”
Quick interjected, explaining, I’m talking about what you have now. Let’s not go back to what’s done in the past and what has not been extended.”
“You can ask me the question. I'll provide the answer,” Jeffries responded, to which Quick said, “answer the question instead of going back.”
“No, I'm providing an answer in order to provide context. Republicans have repeatedly refused to take yes for an answer,” Jeffries continued. “It was a very reasonable multi-year extension that was offered. It was a one-year straight extension plus a multi-year process through a bipartisan commission to more permanently resolve the Affordable Care Act issue. Having that context is absolutely important, regardless of what you may think.”
Quick wasn’t having it. “It's important context to make me realize that I don't I think you want to get a deal done,” she said. “I think this is something where you'd like to see the rates go higher and allow the Republicans to hang themselves with that. Is that the answer? Is this politics?”
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“That's absolutely a ridiculous assertion,” Jeffries whined. “Really, shame on you for…shame on you for saying that because…it's not a partisan issue for us. In fact, the states that are most impacted as it relates to an Affordable Care Act tax credit expiration are all Republican states.”
“That’s why you probably have some Republicans who would sign on if you guys could come up with something that actually looks like a bipartisan deal,” Quick said.
Jeffries insisted that Democrats are focused on working with their Republican colleagues, saying, “Listen, this is not a partisan fight for us. It’s a patriotic fight. We’re fighting for every constituent, even if Republicans aren’t necessarily fighting for their own constituents.”
The lawmaker further argued that Democrats wish to “find a bipartisan path forward” and have “a reasonable discussion, find common ground to address this issue.”
He claimed that since the shutdown ended, “there’s still be no conversations with House Republican leaders.”
Jeffries maintained that “the ones who are not interested in finding a resolution to a healthcare crisis that they’ve created, including passing a bill that enacted the largest cut to Medicaid in American history.”
“Because of their policies, hospitals, nursing homes, and community-based health centers are closing throughout America, including in rural parts of the country.”
“Which is why it would be nice to see a one-year extension so none of these things happen immediately and give you all time to actually try and work on bipartisan situations rather than a three-year extension that basically kicks it down until the next administration is here,” Quick countered.
🚨 HOLY CRAP! BRUTAL moment as Hakeem Jeffries LOSES IT on CNBC host actually pressing him into answering the question. He just embarrassed himself big time.
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) November 21, 2025
QUICK: -Let's not go back to what's done in the past. If you want something to get done, you NEED to do something… pic.twitter.com/4BnfAh6g2o
Democrats and Republicans have been debating the path forward for healthcare. Democrats are demanding extensions to the ACA while Republicans are pushing other solutions. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) is pushing a plan to “directly fund individual tax-advantaged HSAs, instead of spending billions on extending the enhanced tax credits,” according to Politico.
The Senate Finance Committee is set to hold a hearing to consider “meaningful solutions” to the problem of increasing healthcare costs.
President Donald Trump opposes extending the subsidies. He supports sending funds directly to consumers instead of insurance companies. “Hundreds of Billions of Dollars currently being sent to money sucking Insurance Companies … BE SENT DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN PURCHASE THEIR OWN, MUCH BETTER, HEALTHCARE,” he wrote in a post on Truth Social.
The president expanded on the issue during a press conference in Florida. He indicated he had “personal talks with some Democrats” about the direct healthcare payment plan. He said, “The insurance companies are making a fortune,” and “their stock is up over a thousand percent over a short period of time.”
“They are taking in hundreds of billions of dollars, and they’re not really putting it back, certainly like they should.”
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