House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) rejected Republican criticism of his use of the phrase “maximum warfare” last week in light of Saturday’s apparent assassination attempt against President Donald Trump.
“I stand by it,” Jeffries told reporters at the Capitol on Monday. “You can continue to criticize me for it. I don’t give a damn about your criticism.”
The phrase was originally used last year by an anonymous source close to the White House in reference to efforts to redraw congressional districts to advantage Republicans, as Jeffries noted on Monday.
Nevertheless, many Republicans pretended Jeffries somehow caused violence by repeating the phrase.
Earlier on Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt highlighted remarks from Jeffries and other Democrats she claimed used dangerous rhetoric.
“The entire Democrat party has made their pitch to voters across the country that Donald Trump poses an existential threat to democracy,” Leavitt said. “These are despicable statements that the American people have been consuming for years, and so many mentally perturbed individuals are led to believe these words are truth, and then are inspired to act on it.”
Jeffries used the “maximum warfare” last week after Democrats won the redistricting referendum in Virginia.
“We are prepared to take them all on, and we are prepared to win. Maximum warfare, everywhere, all the time,” he said.
