A thrill records of “Today with George Stephanopoulos” broadcasting on Sunday, September 28, 2025 on ABC Information is listed below. This duplicate might not remain in its last type, might be upgraded and might consist of small transcription mistakes. For previous program records, check out the “Today” records archive.
MARTHA RADDATZ, ABC “TODAY” CO-ANCHOR: Our many thanks to Rachel.
I’m signed up with currently in workshop by Home Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Excellent to see you, Leader Jeffries.
We have actually discovered today that you will certainly be consulting with Donald Trump on Monday with Mike Johnson, Leader Schumer, Leader Thune.
Exactly how did that conference happened?
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY), RESIDENCE MINORITY LEADER: Well, Leader Schumer and I at first asked for a conference last Saturday. Donald Trump accepted the conference and after that a couple of days later on suddenly terminated it.
We have actually explained that we prepare, prepared, and able to take a seat with anybody at any moment and at any type of area in order to make certain that we can really money the federal government, prevent an unpleasant Republican created closure, and resolve the medical care dilemma that Republicans have actually created that’s affecting daily Americans all throughout the nation.
RADDATZ: So, did the White Home call you, every one of you, or did you maintain requesting a conference? Did they discuss why it was terminated prior to?
JEFFRIES: They did not discuss why it was terminated besides the declaration that Donald Trump released that mischaracterized Autonomous setting.
Our setting has actually been really clear– terminate the cuts, reduced the expense, conserve healthcare– so we can resolve the concerns that truly matter to the American individuals in an atmosphere where the expense of living is too expensive, where the lifestyle of daily Americans has actually been threatened constantly given that January 20th.
Audio speaker Mike Johnson connected to me the other day, showed that there had actually been a discussion in between Republican leaders and the head of state, and because of this, the conference is back on.
RADDATZ: I recognize you have not had any type of official conferences with Head of state Trump. You were around him throughout commencement and certainly fulfilled him. What are your assumptions from this conference? And can you endanger?
JEFFRIES: Well, Donald Trump has actually taken a go it alone come close to from the very start of this Congress. And regrettably, my coworkers on the Republican side of the aisle have actually acted not as a different and co-equal branch of federal government and a check and equilibrium on an out-of-control executive branch, however as a regular stamp for Donald Trump’s severe schedule.
Our sight entering into the conference is that we intend to locate bipartisan commonalities to locate a costs arrangement that stays clear of a federal government closure and really satisfies the demands of the American individuals in regards to their wellness, their safety and security. and their financial health and wellbeing.
RADDATZ: If I needed to note today, do you think that there will be a federal government closure? They require Autonomous ballots.
JEFFRIES: Well, it’s my hope that we’ll prevent one. At the end of the day, Republicans do manage your home, the Us senate, and the presidency. And what we have actually seen constantly, consisting of with the–
RADDATZ: However they require Autonomous ballots.
JEFFRIES: Well, absolutely any type of informed arrangement at the end of the day, any type of lasting arrangement needs to constantly be bipartisan in nature, which’s been our setting.
It’s likewise been our setting, fairly plainly, that we have actually reached resolve this Republican medical care dilemma.
Consider this. The biggest cut to Medicaid in American background, a possible $536 billion cut to Medicare if Congress does not act by the end of the year. And if we do not prolong the Affordable Treatment Act tax obligation credit reports, greater than 20 million Americans are mosting likely to experience considerably boosted costs, co-pays, and deductibles in an atmosphere where the expense of living in America is currently too expensive.
RADDATZ: You simply stated they do not end up until completion of the year. We understand they do not end up until completion of the year. So why not accept this and simply obtain 7 even more weeks to discuss?
JEFFRIES: Well, since notifications are mosting likely to head out in an issue of days, and it’s mosting likely to be a shock to the system of daily Americans that are currently battling to manage. Life is currently also pricey. Individuals are currently living income to income, and we’re discussing–
RADDATZ: So, today, you could claim, you recognize, allow’s concession and those notifications would not head out, right?
JEFFRIES: Well, we really require to pass regulations to make certain that the Affordable Treatment Act tax obligation credit reports are expanded.
And the difficulty that we have in this specific circumstances is that a number of times over the last couple of months, Republicans in your home have had the possibility to elect with Democrats to prolong the Affordable Treatment Act tax obligation credit reports. And they have actually repetitively and constantly decreased to do it. They elected no over and over and over once again.
And we understand that Republicans have actually generally non-stop assaulted the healthcare of the American individuals, not merely this year in the context of the one large unsightly expense, and healthcare facilities and assisted living facility and community-based wellness facilities all throughout the nation, consisting of in country America are closing down. However they have actually desired the Affordable Treatment Act given that 2010.
They are consumed with terminating the medical care of the American individuals. We really are functioning to conserve the medical care of the American individuals.
RADDATZ: Allow me– allow me discuss the American individuals.
JEFFRIES: Yeah.
RADDATZ: I intend to play what– play what you were stating back in December after then President-elect Trump came out versus the expense Congress was functioning to pass to maintain the federal government open. This is what you stated would certainly be the outcome of a closure.
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JEFFRIES: Family members will certainly be injured. Farmers will certainly be injured. Boundary safety and security and boundary patrol representatives will certainly not be paid. TSA representatives will certainly not be paid.
Small companies will certainly be injured in every neighborhood.
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RADDATZ: And this moment, the danger of mass shootings generally and informing individuals they might not have the ability to return to operate at all.
So, do you still think a closure would extensively harm the American individuals?
JEFFRIES: We are constantly of the sight that we require to money the federal government and make certain that the solutions that the American individuals trust can remain to be obtained and likewise that we wait our government civil slaves.
We have actually seen given that January 20th, mass shootings currently occurring by the Trump management, in the lack of federal government closure since this is what they have actually identified to do, harm daily Americans.
We constantly have actually made the factor, we intend to locate a bipartisan course onward and get to a costs arrangement with our Republican coworkers that really satisfies the demands of the American individuals, however that likewise deals with the Republican healthcare dilemma that is hurting daily Americans all throughout the nation– country America, metropolitan America, the heartland of America, rural America, town America, and Black and brownish areas throughout America.
RADDATZ: If there is a closure, after that what do you do? We have regarding 30 secs left right here.
JEFFRIES: Well, we have actually seen throughout the Trump management, the very first time around, a 35-day federal government closure. That was means also long. Inevitably, Donald Trump and Republicans concerned their detects.
Ideally, we prevent a closure this moment around. And if we remain in one, we locate a fast course out.
RADDATZ: Are you extra hopeful today?
JEFFRIES: I’m confident.
RADDATZ: Okay. Many thanks significantly for joining us, Leader Jeffries.
JEFFRIES: Thanks.
RADDATZ: And allow’s generate Home Bulk Leader Steve Scalise.
Greetings, Leader Scalise.
You listened to Leader Jeffries there. The Democrats seem dug in. Do you believe Head of state Trump can make a huge distinction?
RESIDENCE BULK LEADER REP. STEVE SCALISE, (R) LOUISIANA: He can, Martha. And many thanks for having me.
You recognize, Head of state Trump’s been attempting to obtain a bargain. You recognize, we passed an expense with your home to maintain the federal government from closing down. Hakeem really whipped his participants to close the federal government down. He elected this way. However the good news is, we had the ability to obtain the expense passed. So, now it mores than in the Us senate, and it gets on Chuck Schumer and Democrats in the Us senate to maintain the federal government from closing down, and I wish they’ll involve their detects and do that very early following week.
RADDATZ: However– however you require those Autonomous choose certain. So, exactly how do you bring them in the direction of your side, or endanger?
SCALISE: Well, no one requires to relocate to any type of side. Simply bear in mind, Martha, if you return to March, this coincides collection of financing degrees that Democrats chose in March that– that is included in this CR. So, there is no brand-new adjustments to what we’re attempting to do to maintain settlements going. We still require to have settlements. There is a meeting board on most of the appropriations costs now. Tom Cole, and his appropriators, have actually obtained contracts on the majority of components of federal government financing. And it’s been the Democrat management that’s held them off. Inevitably, allow’s allow those talks proceed till November with this temporary federal government financing expense that remains in the Us senate. However it coincides degrees of financing that the Us senate chose, Democrats consisted of, back in March.
RADDATZ: And the management has actually intimidated these mass shootings of government staff members. What would certainly that resemble? And is that something you– you sustain?
SCALISE: Well, I have not seen the complete information. However if you return to Covid, Martha, Head of state Biden considerably increased, mushroomed the dimension of the federal government, allegedly to handle Covid. Well, Covid mores than, and yet most of those government companies are still 20 or 30 percent bigger than they were prior to Covid. Therefore there’s been a requirement for a rightsizing of the federal government for a very long time. Head of state Trump’s spoke about that with DOGE and various other points he’s doing to attempt to conserve waste, scams and misuse in federal government. And I believe everyone recognizes there are billions, and 10s of billions of bucks in waste, scams and misuse that still requires to be rooted out. We reached several of that, however there’s even more that requires to be done.
RADDATZ: Is– is that the means to do it? Whether you couple down the federal government or otherwise, is that the means to do it, a federal government closure, you simply begin mass shootings?
SCALISE: Well, certainly, there’s great deals of means to do it. It would certainly behave if there was a bipartisan arrangement to remove waste, scams, and misuse in federal government. However every Democrat elected no, elected versus points like taxpayer financing for illegals to obtain federal government advantages. Every Democrat elected versus rooting that out. Offering checks, federal government checks to dead individuals. It’s been taking place for a very long time. We lastly placed confirmations in position. Every Democrat elected versus that. So, thus far they have actually revealed they do not intend to root out waste, scams and misuse.
Head of state Trump operated on doing it. He was chosen with a required by the American individuals to lastly bring financial peace of mind so we can decrease shortages, obtain investing controlled, obtain the economic climate back on the right track. Which’s what we have actually been laser concentrated on.
RADDATZ: You– you listened to Leader Jeffries claim he was confident there would certainly not be a federal government closure. Would certainly you claim you’re confident? And, if so, why?
SCALISE: I’m not just confident. I, Audio speaker Johnson, every one of my Republican coworkers elected to stop a federal government closure, and we passed that expense to the Us senate. That expense’s still resting over in the Us senate.
You saw a ballot a couple of days ago where practically every Republican politician, and just one Democrat, chose it. There’s still time for an arrangement to be gotten to. I rejoice that Head of state Trump is revealing management in conference with all leaders, Republican politician and Democrat, Monday in the White Home. However inevitably, those Democrats need to choose, do they intend to close down the federal government to quell their extreme base, that’s been simply trying to find a defend Donald Trump for no factor besides they’re not delighted with the outcomes of the political election in 2015, or are they mosting likely to deal with the head of state to maintain settlements going. This– once again, this is a temporary financing expense that goes till November 21st, enables federal government, you recognize, soldiers to be paid. Every one of the various other points that Hakeem, everyone states they do not desire, yet they elected to close the federal government down. Allow’s have the Us senate go do the appropriate point and pass that expense that’s resting over there waiting.
RADDATZ: And– and, promptly, if you could, Leader Scalise, I desire– I intend to discuss the Comey charge.
Allow me review you what your other Republican caucus participant, Agent Don Bacon, created in feedback to the charge, “lawfare weakens our fantastic nation. It really did not begin in January, however it really did not finish either. The ongoing rise will just harm all of us.”
Your feedback to that?
SCALISE: Well, we saw an amazing misuse of power from government companies for several years and years. And, truthfully, James Comey is among the major perpetrators in weakening the general public’s rely on companies like the FBI. He abused his power, Martha. And currently, inevitably, he has actually been prosecuted for existing to Congress. This isn’t regarding what he did to the head of state, it has to do with existing to Congress and blocking justice. Which’s what he was prosecuted for. He’s mosting likely to inevitably precede a court of his peers. So, he reaches make his instance.
However there’s major costs. And it’s– it’s not the only point that he’s done that he’s been implicated of in the past. I indicate, he lagged the Russian scam that threatened public self-confidence in these companies. He’s implicated of being an unclean police officer. Which’s a– it’s not a great area for someone to be. And– and he’s ridiculed the firm.
RADDATZ: We will certainly see what takes place in court.
Thanks a lot for joining us today, Leader Scalise.
Showing Up, the head of state’s message to globe leaders at the U.N., and the after effects from the most up to date targeted capturing. The roundtable evaluates in when we return.
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