Trump Praises ‘Nice Guy’ Hakeem Jeffries as Someone He Can ‘Get Along With’
President Donald Trump complimented House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) as a “nice guy” whom he could “probably get along with very well” ahead of midterm elections that could see the Democrat become Majority Leader.
Trump has repeatedly clashed with Jeffries publicly, even mocking him with AI-generated images of him with a fake mustache and sombrero, which the Democrat slammed as “racist” at the time.
The president struck a different tone during an interview with Punchbowl News co-founder Jake Sherman on Thursday.
During the wide-ranging sitdown on the outlet’s Fly Out Day show, Sherman pressed Trump on the prospect of having to “do business” with Jeffries.
“You had a meeting with Hakeem Jeffries a long time ago. I don’t think you’ve had many more conversations with him since then. Maybe you have. But what’s your read of him?” the journalist asked.
Trump began: “I think that he’s a nice guy. I mean, I did [meet him], he was here. We had a good meeting, I mean, look-”
“He’s harsh on you,” Sherman interrupted. “He says, I mean-”
“He’s harsh on me because I’m harsh on him. You know, I’m sure he wouldn’t be so harsh. I’ve said bad things about him,” the president replied.
“Could you do business with him, do you think?” Sherman pressed.
“Yeah, I think so,” Trump replied, adding: “Look, people are harsh on me. I’m harsh on them. That’s part of the world.”
He continued: “You cover it very well. You cover specifically Congress. You see a strange group of people, but I probably get along with him very well. You know, I met essentially once. I think I probably get along with him very well.”
Elsewhere, Trump argued Republican voters were “very angry” with congressional Republicans and refused to commit to supporting Senate Majority Leader John Thune for another term leading Senate Republicans.
Watch above via MS NOW.
New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!
Comments
↓ Scroll down for comments ↓