Maxine Waters Snaps at Pro-MAGA Reporter Confronting Her on Shutdown: ‘Stop It! This Is the Kind of Journalism We Don’t Need’

Screenshot via LindellTV

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) snapped at a reporter confronting her on the government shutdown and whether Democrats are fighting for “healthcare for illegal immigrants.”

Waters was confronted outside the Capitol on Tuesday by LindellTV reporter Alison Steinberg. LindellTV was founded by Mike Lindell, a 2024 election conspiracy theorist who has long been a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump.

“Do Democrats want to prioritize the healthcare of illegal aliens over a government shutdown because if the government does shut down, Americans workers are going to be furloughed,” Steinberg told Waters before the congresswoman stepped in.

“Excuse me. Stop it right there,” she said. “We’re not prioritizing. What we’re saying simply is that we want to keep the government open and we want to work with the Republicans and have a bipartisan agreement to keep this government open, and healthcare is at the top of our agenda.”

“But are Democrats demanding healthcare for illegal aliens?” Steinberg asked.

“Democrats are demanding healthcare for everybody. We want to save lives. We want to make sure that healthcare is available to those who would die [without] having, having the help of their government,” Waters said.

“So you’re good with the government shutdown even if it means giving healthcare to people who aren’t Americans,” Steinberg continued to press.

“That’s what you’re pushing on. What you’re trying to do is you’re standing here and you’re trying to make me say that somehow we are going to put non-citizens over Americans. Quit it! Stop it!” Waters said. “This is the kind of journalism we don’t need.”

The congresswoman then blasted the reporter, accusing her of being “divisive” and trying to stir up “controversy.”

“You’re not going to get it from me!” Waters said. “We want to save healthcare for all people.”

Waters’s interview occurred shortly before the federal government entered a shutdown after Republicans and Democrats failed to reach a funding deal.

Democrats have fought for certain Affordable Care Act subsidies and called for Medicaid cuts to be reversed.

Vice President JD Vance appeared on Fox News on Wednesday morning and called Democrats’ demands in negotiations “preposterous,” including on healthcare.

“It is premium support program under Obamacare and they want to keep going,” he said. “That premium support program does not expire until next year, so why shut down the government on October 1 because of a program that does not expire for another few months. Talk about it, negotiate and do what you do in Washington, D.C., don’t shut down the government because you don’t get what you want, that is what Senate Democrats have done.”

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