Hakeem Jeffries calls Trump an ex-boyfriend who “just won’t go away” in DNC speech

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries delivered an energetic speech at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday night, praising Kamala Harris as a visionary leader and criticizing Donald Trump as a threat to American values.

In his first major appearance as the leader of House Democrats, Jeffries highlighted Harris as a champion for working people and described Trump as a danger to the middle class, reproductive rights, and American democracy.

Jeffries’ speech was a mix of encouragement for Harris and sharp criticism of Trump. He described Trump as someone who can’t accept that voters rejected him in 2020, comparing him to an ex-boyfriend who just won’t move on. “Donald Trump is like an old boyfriend who you broke up with, but he just won’t go away,” Jeffries said, earning cheers from the crowd. “Bro, we broke up with you for a reason.”

Jeffries went on to criticize Trump’s key actions during his presidency, calling the GOP’s tax cuts a “scam” that mostly benefited the wealthy. He also condemned Trump’s handling of the COVID pandemic, the January 6th attack on the Capitol, and the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, which he said harmed women’s rights.

Jeffries repeated his point: “We broke up with you for a reason…we’re not going back.”

Having recently taken over from Nancy Pelosi as the leader of House Democrats, Jeffries is now focused on helping his party keep the White House and regain control of the House. If successful, he could become the first Black Speaker of the House.

Jeffries also promised close cooperation between House Democrats and a future Harris administration on important issues like fighting climate change, improving immigration laws, expanding Medicare, and restoring abortion rights.

With his signature powerful delivery, Jeffries energized the crowd with a call to action that referenced each day of the week. The audience responded with a standing ovation.

Jeffries also praised President Biden, who stepped down from the presidential race under pressure. Jeffries called Biden a selfless leader and one of the most successful presidents in history.

“We could not have asked for a better leader to partner with than President Joseph Robinette Biden,” Jeffries said, “who will go down as one of the most consequential presidents of all time.”