Jeffries Accuses Trump of 'Fearmongering' on Iran and DHS Shutdown

House Minority Leader says GOP is at fault for the ongoing DHS funding impasse.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) accused President Donald Trump of "lying to the American people" and "fearmongering" about the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown and the threat of Iranian sleeper cells. Jeffries argued that the shutdown is the fault of Republicans, who have refused to fund the non-ICE and non-immigration enforcement parts of DHS that Democrats are willing to support.

Why it matters

The ongoing DHS funding dispute has become entangled with concerns about potential threats from Iran, with Trump suggesting the shutdown is hampering the government's ability to address those threats. Jeffries' comments reflect the partisan divide over the shutdown and the broader tensions between the White House and Congressional Democrats.

The details

In an interview on CNN's "The Story Is," Jeffries pushed back on Trump's claims that the DHS shutdown is endangering Americans by preventing the government from going after Iranian sleeper cells. Jeffries said Trump is "lying to the American people" and "fearmongering," and that Republicans are responsible for the shutdown by refusing to fund the non-immigration enforcement parts of DHS that Democrats support.

  • The DHS funding dispute began before the recent tensions with Iran.

The players

Hakeem Jeffries

House Minority Leader and Democratic Congressman from New York.

Donald Trump

The President of the United States.

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What they’re saying

“The President's lying to the American people, he's fearmongering, and he knows that.”

— Hakeem Jeffries, House Minority Leader (CNN)

“Yeah, we know a lot about them. The biggest problem we have is the Democrats' shutdown. We know a lot about them. But the shutdown doesn't allow us to do what we have to do.”

— Donald Trump (CNN)

The takeaway

The partisan battle over DHS funding has become entangled with concerns about national security threats, with both sides accusing the other of putting politics ahead of public safety. Resolving the shutdown will require compromise from both Republicans and Democrats.