US President Donald Trump posted a manipulated video on Monday, featuring Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in a bizarre clip. The digitally altered Schumer says, “Nobody likes Democrats anymore” due to “all our woke trans bulls***.” The video appears to be a deepfake, with the silent Jeffries wearing a sombrero and handlebar mustache.
The White House’s main negotiating partners are being mocked in the video, which seems to reference misleading GOP claims that Democrats want to give healthcare to undocumented immigrants. However, this is not true, as Democrats aim to keep expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies for “lawfully present” immigrants, not undocumented people.
House Minority Leader Jeffries condemned the video, calling it a “malignant distraction from people who are determined to rip healthcare away.” He said, “It’s disgusting. We’re fighting to protect the healthcare of the American people in the face of an unprecedented Republican assault.”
Other Democrats and Republicans also reacted to the video. Rep. Ro Khanna expressed concern that mocking people’s ethnicity or appearance can hinder negotiations. Sen. Roger Marshall defended Trump’s actions, claiming the comments were “said in jest” and meant to tease the press.
Despite a meeting between the parties on Monday, no agreement has been reached yet to avoid the impending government shutdown. The parties appear far from an accord, with the shutdown slated to begin late Tuesday.
Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-schumer-jeffries-government-shutdown-b2836200.html