House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries unleashed sharp criticism against President Donald Trump’s Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Friday, escalating tensions amid the ongoing government shutdown. Speaking to reporters, Jeffries called Leavitt “sick” and “out of control,” before adding, “I’m not sure whether she’s just demented, ignorant, a stone-cold liar, or all of the above.” His comments followed Leavitt’s earlier claim that the Democratic Party “consists of terrorists, violent criminals, and undocumented immigrants.” Jeffries condemned the statement as “nonsensical,” accusing the Trump administration of spreading disinformation at a critical moment. “This is what the American people are getting from the Trump administration in the middle of a shutdown,” he said.

Leavitt quickly fired back on X, accusing Democrats of “lashing out because they know what I said is true.” She wrote that Democratic leaders “cater to pro-Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens, and violent criminals,” pointing to Democrats’ opposition to a GOP resolution condemning Hamas after the October 7th attacks. Leavitt also criticized Democrats’ border and crime policies, claiming they have “opened our borders” and “coddled violent offenders” through measures like cashless bail. She ended her post with a personal attack on Jeffries, calling him an “America Last, stone-cold loser,” and demanded that Democrats “open up the government.”

The fiery exchange came as Capitol Hill grappled with multiple controversies. Reporters had also asked Jeffries about a swastika found on an American flag in the office of Rep. Dave Taylor (R-Ohio). Taylor said the incident was part of a coordinated campaign targeting GOP offices and that the flag was immediately removed. The feud between Jeffries and Leavitt underscores the deepening partisan divide as the shutdown enters its fourth week. Senate Democrats recently blocked a Republican funding proposal, insisting that any deal must include expanded healthcare subsidies and renewed pandemic-era programs.