‘Shame on You’: Rebecca Quick and Hakeem Jeffries Clash Over Short-Term ACA Subsidy Extension

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and CNBC host Rebecca Quick engaged in a tense exchange on Squawk Box over whether Democrats are serious about negotiating a bipartisan extension of Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium subsidies. Quick pressed Jeffries to consider a one- or two-year stopgap to avoid higher premiums for millions of Americans if current subsidies lapse at year-end.

Quick cited a bipartisan proposal from Representatives Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) and Don Bacon (R-Neb.) for a two-year extension and suggested that Democrats might need to accept a shorter-term deal to win Republican support. Jeffries pushed back, saying past offers — including a one-year extension proposed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer during the government shutdown era — provide important context for current talks.

The back-and-forth intensified when Quick suggested Democrats could tolerate higher premiums to gain a political advantage and allow Republicans to "hang themselves." Jeffries reacted strongly, calling the claim "absolutely a ridiculous assertion" and telling Quick, "Shame on you for saying that." Quick was observed rolling her eyes during part of the exchange.

Jeffries emphasized that the issue is not strictly partisan for Democrats, noting that many of the states that would be hardest hit by an expiration of ACA premium tax credits are Republican-leaning, including West Virginia, Wyoming, Alaska, Mississippi and Tennessee. He said Democrats want a bipartisan solution and have repeatedly signaled a willingness to sit down and negotiate.

Quick countered that if Democrats produced a proposal that looked genuinely bipartisan, they would likely find some Republican support. The disagreement highlights broader tensions about strategy ahead of the subsidy expiration: whether to pursue a longer multiyear fix or accept a shorter, more politically feasible extension.

Selected exchange

REBECCA QUICK: If you want to get it done, you are going to need at least some Republicans to come over; why not start with a one-year extension or potentially even a two-year extension?

HAKEEM JEFFRIES: Leader Schumer offered a one-year extension in the context of trying to end the Trump Republican shutdown.

QUICK: That’s different. I’m talking about what you have now. Let’s not go back to what’s done in the past.

JEFFRIES: You can ask me the question. I’ll provide the answer.

QUICK: Answer the question instead of going back.

JEFFRIES: I’m providing an answer in order to provide context. Republicans have repeatedly refused to take yes for an answer. It was a very reasonable multi-year extension that was offered: one straight year plus a multi-year process through a bipartisan commission to more permanently resolve the Affordable Care Act issue.

QUICK: It’s important context to make me realize that I don’t think you want to get a deal done. I think this is something where you’d like to see the rates go higher and allow the Republicans to hang themselves with that. Is that the answer? Is this politics?

JEFFRIES: That’s absolutely a ridiculous assertion, and really, shame on you for saying that.

The exchange underscores the difficult calculus facing lawmakers: balancing political strategy with the urgent need to prevent major increases in health insurance costs for millions of people. As the subsidy deadline approaches, the heated interview illustrates how negotiations — and rhetoric about them — may shape any bipartisan path forward.