Hakeem Jeffries Pushes Back On His Party Claiming Tulsi Gabbard A ‘Russian Asset’

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) pushed back on Sunday against members of his party who are claiming that former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) is a “Russian asset.”

Jeffries made the remarks during an interview on NBC News’ “Meet The Press” with Kristen Welker when asked about Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) saying last week that Gabbard was “by most assessments, a Russian asset.”

President-elect Donald Trump nominated Gabbard, who is now a Republican, to be the director of national intelligence.

“Here’s what I have to say about several of the nominations that have been made by the incoming president, including the one that Debbie Wasserman Schultz was referring to,” Jeffries said. “The incoming president, throughout the campaign, promised the American people that we would have the best economy, the best border security, and the best administration possible.”

“The question that has to be asked: Is this the best that we can do in the context of some of these nominations?” he continued. “Is this the very best that America has to offer for a moment like this, with so many challenges that we confront?”

He said Gabbard and others were “not” the best picks for the roles and said that “America deserves better.”

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“Hopefully, we’ll see the Senate Republicans do their job, scrutinize these picks, certainly confirm those that meet the basic level of qualifications, and reject others,” he said.

When asked again if he would characterize Gabbard as a “Russian asset,” Jeffries responded: “No, that’s not how I would characterize her at this particular juncture.”

“But I’m open to scrutinizing whatever information is presented to all of us,” he added. “But this is going to fall on Senate Democrats and Senate Republicans.”

WATCH:

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) when asked if he agrees with Democrats calling Tulsi Gabbard a “Russian asset”:

“No, that’s not how I would characterize her” pic.twitter.com/hqD1RazfF4

— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) November 18, 2024