'He's the dumbest': Hakeem Jeffries responds to Trump's 'low IQ person' jab

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) fired back at President Donald Trump on Tuesday, after he called him a "totally low IQ person." In an interview with MS Now, Jeffries was shown the clip where Trump shared the insulting remarks, and in response, the Democratic leader stated that, ironically, it is Trump who is "clearly the dumbest person ever to sit at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue." He then slammed the Trump administration for failing the economy, healthcare, and immigration, while spending billions on a "war of choice." 

In an interview on CNBC's Squawk Box on Monday, Trump briefly spoke about the Democrats who had big issues with the ongoing Iran war. He then referenced Jeffries, saying, "I watch this low-IQ guy, Hakeem Jeffries, he's a totally low-IQ person, and he's always ranting and raving, 'Oh, this war is so terrible.'" The President then went on to add that Democrats shouldn't be saying this in the midst of negotiations, as it hurts America. "It gives the other side some hope, and I don't want them to have hope," Trump said. MS NOW's Lawrence O'Donnell played the clip to Jeffries, asking for his opinion on the remarks. 

"Well, it's an extraordinary insult, but he continues to repeat it," Jeffries said, referring to Trump's habit of calling people low IQ. Trump had most recently said that all allies-turned-critics, including Tucker Carlson, "have one thing in common, Low IQs," in a lengthy Truth Social post. "And what's so ironic is that Donald Trump is clearly the dumbest person ever to sit at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue," Jeffiries added. The Democratic leader then went on to note the failures of the Trump administration and Republicans, claiming that they failed on "health care, immigration enforcement, and now they've gotten us into a reckless and costly war of choice."

Jeffries added that dozens of American heroes had lost their lives and hundreds have been seriously injured, all while the President continues to waste billions of dollars. "These guys won't spend a dime to actually make life more affordable for the American people," he said. 

The comments from the House Minority Leader come at a time when Trump's approval ratings have hit record lows. Most recently, Democrats delivered a massive blow to the GOP after Virginia voters approved a new voting map, which gives them a chance to net as many as four more US House seats in the upcoming midterm elections, as per CNN. The campaign to get the map approved was led by national figures such as former President Barack Obama and Hakeem Jeffries, who claimed the change was necessary to serve as a check on Trump's policies. Reacting to the news, California Gov. Gavin Newsom claimed Virginia beat the Republicans in a rigged game, and November will mark the end of Trump, as Democrats will take back Congress.

The map, which is set to go into effect, represents one of the most extreme "political gerrymanders" of the 2026 election cycle as it will give Democrats an advantage in 10 of the state's 11 House districts.