Former speaker Nancy Pelosi, a former top advisor to D-Calif, suggests that House Democrat leader Hakeem Jeffries, DN.Y., is not meeting the current Trump-era moment.
“Trump is just giving us all this incredible red meat. So I’ve never seen anything like this before. It’s like the biggest gift everyone has been given by the opposition, and we’re wasting it to some extent,” former Pelosi adviser Ashley Etienne told Politico’s Deep Dive Podcast.
Etienne helped Pelosi oversee the Democratic message during President Donald Trump’s first bounce each. She previously worked in the 2008 campaign of former vice president Kamala Harris and former president Barack Obama.
She said Jeffries is “doing well” in many areas and “gives enormous respect” to the New York Democrats, but he has shown he’s missed out on the anti-Trump messaging opportunity.
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Former advisor to former speaker Nancy Pelosi shared criticism of House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries’ leadership. (Getty/Reuters)
“He gave a speech this morning. I haven’t spoken to my phone about what he said, and I’m going to do this interview with TV all day. That’s a failure,” Etienne said.
“If you haven’t told people what you want to say to them, how do you get disciplined? At least, at least emphasize, at least emphasize.”
Jeffries’ allies opposed its characterization, noting that friction within the party is paying attention to Trump’s low polls and Republican policies.
“Donald Trump’s approval rate has plummeted, and he’s beating House Republicans. Extreme Maga Republicans are forced to delay plans to advance Trump’s centerpiece legislative priorities due to a fierce backlash against schemes to enact the biggest cuts in Medicaid and food aid history.
Just Friday morning, Jeffries issued a statement hammering Hammer House Republicans as they had to delay some of their legislative activities to advance Trump’s agenda.
But Etienne’s comments are a notable responsibilities from a former Democratic leader’s aide to one of the party’s most powerful current officials.
Etienne noted that Democrats have “defeated Elon Musk well” and have recorded several victories on the messaging front, including Sen. Cory Booker’s recent record-breaking filibuster speech.
However, she chose the Liberal Party’s protest during Trump’s speech against the Congressional joint session, as a “embarrassing” set of the party and Jeffries.
Etienne said the Democratic protest during Trump’s speech was “embarrassing.” (Get McNamee/Pool photos via AP)
“Even during your speech, if you look at the headlines after the speech, it was about Democrats and Democrats who protest rather than what Trump is actually saying, and in those moments you don’t want to be a story.
“And I thought it was a problem for Jeffries. I mean, he says a lot about how people value his leadership. He didn’t ask for protest. And what did they not do?
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Both Pelosi and Jeffries’ offices told Politico that the latter often sought the former opinion, and a Jefferies spokesman has once again pushed back reports that House Democrat leaders are about to pass Pelosi and that Jefferies hasn’t done enough to help Democrat groups with their message.
One of these groups, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC), pushed back claims that they had not heard enough from Jeffries.
“Today, in a Politico article we’re not interested in living in, we sent a press release that a former Pelosi staff member attacked Hakeem Jeffries. Adam Green, co-founder of PCCC, said, “I’ve heard from Jeffries more than I’ve heard from Pelosi.”
Meanwhile, a House Democrat aide said Jeffries held “multiple calls” previewing Trump’s previous speeches in his first 100 days, “emphasizing the leader’s message that President Trump’s first 100 days is a disaster for Americans.”
Jeffreys spokesman Stephenson was also posted on X’s X’s report.
But the House Republican electoral division quickly raided the discrepancy as well.
“Hakeem Jeffries is the so-called leader of a team that is not afraid of him and does not follow him, and now he doesn’t pretend to respect him,” said Mike Marinella, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) in a statement.
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And Democrat strategist Julian Epstein, a former chief adviser to the House Judiciary Committee, criticized Jeffries’ leadership, but said Trump was not the main issue for Democrats.
“He’s not a particularly effective speaker, he seems to be intended to give him a sense of direction or purpose, not to inflict anyone, and has a leadership style that appears to be very passive,” Epstein said.
“House Democrats look like a massive mass where gravity is everywhere, and now gravity is taking them to the protest that left them. But no matter who the leader is, if Democrats are selling products that voters hate, that doesn’t matter.”
Pelosi’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Elizabeth Elkind is the main reporter of Fox News Digital’s reporting in the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen on Daily Mail and CBS News.
Follow me on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to Elizabeth.elkind@fox.com
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