A thrill records of “Today with George Stephanopoulos” broadcasting on Sunday, June 29, 2025 on ABC Information is listed below. This duplicate might not remain in its last kind, might be upgraded and might have small transcription mistakes. For previous program records, go to the “Today” records archive.
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ZOHRAN MAMDANI, DEMOCRATIC MAYORAL PROSPECT FOR NEW YORK CITY: With Each Other, New York City, we have actually restored our freedom. We have actually offered our cities consent to think once again. In our New york city, the power comes from individuals.
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JONATHAN KARL, ABC “TODAY” CARBON MONOXIDE- SUPPORT: That was 33-year-old Autonomous socialist Zohan Mamdani, that stunned the political globe with his success in the New york city Autonomous primary for mayor.
I’m signed up with currently by Home Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York City.
Allow– allow’s begin with the huge information, Leader Jeffries, out of your home community. Mamdani won a large success. Have you backed him yet?
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES – RESIDENCE MINORITY LEADER, (D) NEW YORK CITY: I have not. We had a discussion on Wednesday early morning where I praised him on the project that he ran, a project that plainly was non-stop concentrated on the high expense of residing in New york city City and the economic climate. He out functioned, he out interacted and he out arranged the resistance. Which’s plainly why he succeeded.
KARL: So, what’s holding you back from recommending him now?
JEFFRIES: Well, we do not truly understand each various other well. Our areas do not overlap. I have actually never ever had a substantive discussion with him. Therefore, that’s the following action in regards to this procedure, to be able to take a seat, which we concurred to do, in main Brooklyn, review his vision for relocating the city onward and attending to the problems that are essential to the areas that I stand for. A really varied area that I stand for in Brooklyn, consisting of lots of African Americans, lots of Jewish Americans, lots of Caribbean Americans that are managing a great deal of obstacles in the city and wish to ensure that the following mayor of the city of New york city, whoever that might be, is prepared to tackle them.
KARL: Mamdani calls himself an Autonomous socialist. He recommended, undoubtedly, huge tax obligation boosts, cost-free public transportation, cost-free recompense, federal government run supermarket. Is this the sort of dynamic socialism it is– we’re visiting as the future of the Democratic Celebration or is this distinct to New york city City?
JEFFRIES: I believe that of the important things we have actually been clear concerning from the really starting as Home Democrats is that we require to non-stop concentrate on attending to the high expense of living in the USA of America. This nation is much to pricey for functioning course Americans, for center course Americans, for all those that desire belong to the center course.
Visualize a nation where every, tireless American taxpayer can manage to live the great life, strive, play by the regulations, have an excellent paying task, health treatment, have the ability to manage a home, enlighten your youngsters, take place getaway every so often, and someday retire with elegance and self-respect. The great life. The American desire. That is not easily accessible to everybody. Therefore I believe it will certainly remain to be essential for everyone on the Autonomous side to attend to non-stop the concern of the absence of cost in this nation.
Donald Trump assured to decrease expenses on the first day. Expenses have not dropped. They’re increasing. Actually, the individual is collapsing the economic climate in genuine time and presenting these careless Trump tolls that are mosting likely to boost expenses by countless bucks a year. And he might also drive us towards an economic downturn.
KARL: You stated the variety of your area, consisting of a great deal of Jewish components. Mamdani has actually made remarks that some have claimed divert in the direction of racial discrimination. His first declaration after October 7th, he slammed the Israeli federal government yet really did not slam Hamas. He safeguarded using words globalize– or the expression “globalize intifada.” And he also claimed that the Israeli head of state, Netanyahu, must be detained– or he would certainly if he were mayor, he would certainly detain Netanyahu if he checked out New york city City.
Do these points problem you?
JEFFRIES: Globalizing the intifada using instance is not an appropriate wording. He’s mosting likely to need to clarify his placement on that particular as he progresses.
Relative to the Jewish areas that I stand for, I believe our candidate is mosting likely to need to encourage individuals that he is prepared to boldy attend to the surge in racial discrimination in the city of New york city, which has actually been an inappropriate advancement. And any type of mayor, whether you’re an Autonomous mayor, a Republican mayor, an independent mayor, has actually reached dedicate to the safety and security and health of every one of individuals of the city of New york city. And when there are minutes of dilemma and an increase in anti-Jewish hate, that’s a limit, naturally, that requires to be gone across.
Relative to the African American and Caribbean American areas that I stand for, it’s mosting likely to be essential for our candidate to express the instance for considerably and emphatically attending to the surge in gentrification and the real estate variation that endangers to remain to eliminate reduced and modest earnings, black and Latino areas in New york city City. It’s an inappropriate sensation. And the following mayor of the city of New york city needs to have the ability to express a clear strategy and dedication to attend to these issues for individuals that I stand for and individuals all throughout the terrific city of New york city.
KARL: All right, allow’s transform to advancements right here in Washington. The High Court (INAUDIBLE) choice equipping Donald Trump by restricting the power of courts to quit his exec orders or to freeze his exec orders. Exactly how huge a bargain is this? This was truly the one means– the one restriction on his activities that’s worked until now.
JEFFRIES: Well, it was an unfavorable choice from a step-by-step viewpoint as it associates with what must have been a really clear instance. If there is any type of circumstances where across the country orders are suitable, it would certainly remain in a– in a fashion like what we have actually simply experienced in regards to due citizenship, which is plainly a component of the Constitution. If you are birthed as a youngster in the USA of American, you are a resident. So, it was a step-by-step obstacle that was fairly regrettable, and it was a negligent choice, in my sight.
Nonetheless, in regards to the battle judicially to secure due citizenship, that lives and well. And we’re simply mosting likely to need to heighten our initiatives currently in area court after area court or to obtain a course activity licensed in behalf of individuals that might be negatively affected by this careless Trump exec order.
KARL: And– and you went to the instruction, the classified instruction, Friday on Iran and on the united state air raid. Did you obtain satisfying responses and do you have a feeling currently, was the program truly– I imply the head of state states wiped out, yet– yet what did you find out?
JEFFRIES: Well, allow’s be clear, Iran is a vowed adversary of the USA of America, along with our allies in the center East, like Israel and Jordan. And we can never ever permit Iran to be a nuclear qualified power.
That claimed, there are a great deal of concerns that continue to be unanswered, in my sight, as it associates with the activities that the Trump management took about Iran. Why did they not look for the legislative consent needed by the Constitution for this sort of preemptive strike? I still have not seen truths offered to us as a Congress to warrant that action, and I definitely have not seen truths to warrant the declaration that Donald Trump made that Iran’s nuclear program has actually been totally and completely wiped out.
We likewise require the instance to be made by the management to the American individuals regarding just how to finest complete the goal of stopping Iran from coming to be nuclear qualified. Why did they desert the hostile diplomacy that succeeded under the Obama management, and what is their strategy to quit us from getting involved in one more fell short Center Eastern battle. A great deal of concerns that require to be addressed. And those responses have not been engaging to day.
KARL: All right, a great deal of concerns for certain. Leader Jeffries, thanks for joining us.
JEFFRIES: Thanks.
KARL: Up following, the roundtable’s take on what the New york city mayor’s race might imply for Democrats across the country and just how the Justice Division displaced the head of state of the College of Virginia over DEI plans.
We’re back momentarily.
