Overview
- On CBS’s Face the Nation, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Trump and Republican state actors are pursuing partisan gerrymanders to “rig” the 2026 midterms.
- Host Margaret Brennan challenged him over using “rigged elections” language after his earlier claim that Democrats have no election deniers.
- Brennan noted Democrats are also advancing map changes in states such as California and New York, and Jeffries replied that his party seeks fair maps and will push back against GOP efforts.
- Right-leaning outlets cast the interview as a stumble for Jeffries or said Brennan’s follow-up was insufficient, while progressive critics accused CBS of adopting a harder line and cited editor-in-chief Bari Weiss.
- The episode underscored the escalating legal and political battles over redistricting that could shape control of the House heading into 2026.