Jeffries Refuses to Take Responsibility, Blames Trump as Busiest New York Airport Faces Ground Stop

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries deflected blame Friday as flight operations at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport came to a standstill amid a shortage of air traffic controllers.

Flights across New York City are already being disrupted, with the Federal Aviation Administration imposing traffic restrictions and a ground stop at JFK through Friday evening as staffing shortages and high winds compound the effects of the ongoing shutdown. Appearing on “The Arena,” the host asked Jeffries about mounting concerns over staffing shortages at air traffic control centers and the potential safety risks facing travelers in his home state. Jeffries instead turned the conversation toward President Donald Trump.

“Well, I’m very concerned with all of the harmful effects of the shutdown, the fact that our air traffic controllers, many hard workers and federal employees, TSA agents are being asked to work without pay. This is the reason why Donald Trump needs to get serious about sitting down and finding a path toward a bipartisan agreement,” Jeffries said.

Jeffries went on to call the budget impasse the “Trump Republican shutdown.”

Read More: https://dailycallernewsfoundation.org/2025/10/31/hakeem-jeffries-refuses-to-take-responsibility-and-blames-trump-as-new-yorks-busiest-airport-faces-ground-stop/