Hakeem Jeffries Perfectly Claps Back After Trump Cancels Budget Meeting With Democratic Leaders

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries invoked a derogatory nickname for President Donald Trump after Trump canceled a budget meeting with Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, effectively barring them from discussing Democrats' demands to shore up health care funds to avoid a government shutdown.

After a meeting between Trump and the Democratic leaders had been scheduled, Trump abruptly canceled the meeting, saying he'd "decided that no meeting with their Congressional Leaders could possibly be productive." He also complained that Democrats “are threatening to shut down the Government of the United States” if Republicans do not agree to permanently extend Obamacare subsidies and to reverse Medicaid cuts implemented in the GOP budget bill passed this summer.

While Trump did not say a meeting Jeffries and Schumer would be completely off the table, he predicted a “long and brutal slog” ahead unless Democrats drop their demands:

“We must keep the Government open, and legislate like true Patriots rather than hold American Citizens hostage, knowing that they want our now thriving Country closed. I’ll be happy to meet with them if they agree to the Principles in this Letter."

"They must do their job! Otherwise, it will just be another long and brutal slog through their radicalized quicksand."

In response, Jeffries, employing the now-infamous "TACO" nickname critics have for Trump, took to X and wrote:

"Trump Always Chickens Out. Donald Trump just cancelled a high stakes meeting in the Oval Office with myself and Leader Schumer."

"The extremists want to shut down the government because they are unwilling to address the Republican healthcare crisis that is devastating America."

You can see his post below.

Jeffries's post exposed the anger many feel toward Trump amid the looming threat of a shutdown, which would put a hard stop on many government services until matters are resolved.

Members of Congress are up against a September 30 deadline to approve more funding or risk a shutdown that would close many federal agencies and furlough workers.

Republicans have proposed a stopgap measure to keep the government running through November 21 while longer-term spending bills are negotiated, but Democrats are pushing for action on their healthcare priorities.