House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Sunday accused the White House of attempting to “extort” $230 million from the Department of Justice (DOJ), escalating partisan tensions as President Trump seeks compensation tied to past federal investigations.
Speaking on ABC’s “This Week,” Jeffries sharply criticized the president’s reported push for a $230 million settlement related to two federal probes — a special counsel investigation into the 2016 election and the classified documents case. He framed the effort as misplaced at a time when many Americans remain concerned about the cost of living and economic pressures.
“Why is Donald Trump focused on enriching himself, his family and his friends as opposed to focused on driving down the high cost of living? Why is he focused on destroying half the White House, trying to extort $230 million from the Department of Justice, or promoting his wife’s documentary, as opposed to fixing our broken health care system?” Jeffries asked during the interview.
“Why is he focused on brutalizing everyday Americans by unleashing these masked agents in American communities as opposed to doing his job?” he added.
The president’s request for $230 million would require review by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who previously served as Trump’s personal defense attorney, and Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. Both officials have signed agreements requiring them to recuse themselves from matters involving the president for one year, potentially complicating internal deliberations within the Justice Department.
The dispute unfolds amid a partial government shutdown, further intensifying the political standoff in Washington. Jeffries said House Democrats are prioritizing what he described as restoring ethical standards across government institutions.
“We also need to clean up corruption, wherever it’s found, in the Congress, at the Supreme Court, and certainly with the administration, I think the most corrupt administration in American history,” he told anchor George Stephanopoulos.
In addition to opposing any fast-tracked approval of a Senate-passed funding package, Jeffries said Democrats would push for significant structural changes within the Department of Homeland Security.
“The one thing that we’ve said publicly is that we need a robust path toward dramatic reform. The administration can’t just talk the talk. They need to walk the walk,” the New York lawmaker told ABC.
“That should begin today — not in two weeks, today,” he added.
Jeffries later outlined policy proposals his caucus intends to pursue, including mandating body cameras for federal agents, banning the use of masks during enforcement operations, and requiring immigration officials to obtain judicial warrants before conducting searches.
The White House has not publicly detailed the legal basis for the requested settlement. The matter is likely to draw scrutiny from both parties as lawmakers navigate budget negotiations, DOJ oversight, and broader questions surrounding executive authority and government ethics.
