CNBC Anchor Confronts Jeffries as Shutdown Fallout Deepens and Union Pressure Mounts

The ongoing government shutdown took another dramatic turn this week when CNBC’s “Squawk Box” co-anchor Becky Quick publicly challenged House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) over the Democrats’ continued refusal to back a funding agreement unless more than a trillion dollars in new spending is approved — a package that reportedly includes expanded healthcare coverage for illegal immigrants.

During the Monday broadcast, Quick pressed Jeffries on what she called the “hypocrisy” of Democrats demanding policy changes now that they failed to enact when they controlled all three branches of government.

“What you’re asking Republicans to do right now — when they control the White House, the Senate, and the House — is something your own party couldn’t do when you had full power,” Quick said pointedly.

Jeffries, appearing via remote feed, listened in silence as Quick continued: “The expiration of those healthcare credits was written in intentionally. It happened under your leadership — under your administration’s timeline. Now you’re asking the Republicans to fix something your party couldn’t extend?”

The Democratic leader hesitated before offering a halting defense. “Uh, it’s not a setup beyond what we could do,” Jeffries replied, prompting Quick to raise an eyebrow in visible skepticism.

Pushback From Within the Democratic Base

While Jeffries struggled to justify his party’s position on air, a major political blow came from within one of the Democratic Party’s most loyal constituencies — the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE). Representing more than 820,000 federal and D.C. government workers, the union released a sharply worded statement Monday calling on Democrats to end the shutdown immediately.

AFGE President Everett Kelley accused lawmakers of playing politics with the livelihoods of federal workers, many of whom have now gone nearly a month without pay.

“This week, Congress pushed our nation into the fourth week of a full government shutdown — an avoidable crisis that is harming families, communities, and the very institutions that hold our country together,” Kelley wrote. “Both political parties have made their point, and still there is no clear end in sight.”

Kelley went on to remind the public that Congress — not the president — controls the federal budget, a subtle but pointed rebuke to claims from Democratic leaders blaming the White House for the impasse.

“It’s time to pass a clean continuing resolution and end this shutdown today,” he declared. “No half measures, and no gamesmanship. Put every single federal worker back on the job with full back pay — today.”

Federal Workers Hit Hard

The union’s message underscored the human toll of the standoff. Federal employees across multiple agencies — including the Transportation Security Administration, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Veterans Affairs — are now facing their second missed paycheck.

Kelley painted a vivid picture of the toll on public servants: “The Army nurse in San Antonio, the TSA officer in Atlanta, the USDA food safety inspector in Iowa — these are patriotic Americans being asked to keep our country running without paychecks that keep their own households afloat.”

He added that many employees, regardless of political affiliation, have continued to show up for work out of a sense of duty, even as their savings dwindle. “They ensure our skies are safe, our veterans receive care, our borders are protected, and our food is inspected. But service to country should not mean financial sacrifice because of political dysfunction.”

A Growing Divide

The AFGE’s statement adds pressure on Democratic leadership, already facing criticism for the shutdown’s growing economic and social costs. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has warned that SNAP benefits could lapse for millions if the funding stalemate continues into next month. Meanwhile, businesses tied to federal contracts report cascading financial disruptions.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) reiterated this week that Democrats are responsible for prolonging the crisis. “Day 27 means it’s almost been a full month since the Democrats shut down the government,” he said. “The pain being felt by so many hardworking people around this country is very real — and it gets worse with each passing day.”

Johnson cited the latest statistics: 1.4 million federal workers missed a full paycheck last week, including essential personnel like border agents, air traffic controllers, and members of the armed forces. “These are men and women keeping the country safe,” he said. “Yet their families are now at real risk of missing another paycheck.”

Demands and Next Steps

In his statement, Kelley outlined three specific demands aimed at breaking the impasse:

1. Reopen the government immediately through a clean continuing resolution that allows further debate on larger spending issues.

2. Guarantee full back pay for every employee affected by the shutdown.

3. Commit to bipartisan negotiations on key policy reforms, including cost-of-living increases and a more stable appropriations process.

“It’s long past time for our leaders to put aside partisan politics,” Kelley concluded. “A strong America requires a functioning government — one that pays its bills, honors its commitments, and respects its workforce.”

For now, however, the political standoff in Washington shows no signs of breaking, leaving millions of Americans — both federal employees and citizens dependent on government services — anxiously watching the clock as the shutdown drags on.