House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) delivered a theatrical speech spanning more than 6 hours on Thursday morning, voicing his opposition to President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” and the after-show reviews could not be more negative.
Jeffries began the speech just after 5 a.m., announcing he would take his “sweet time” to hold up the bill’s vote, prompting House Democrats to cheer and applaud.
But their excitement didn’t last long.
JULY 4 SALE: Get Six Months Of DW+ Free
Hours into the speech, Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) appeared to have fallen asleep, seen with her eyes clamped shut as Jeffries rambled on.
WATCH:#OH09’s @RepMarcyKaptur is fully asleep while @RepJeffries is ranting ???? https://t.co/RNw6W38wtX pic.twitter.com/pI4uHJzybn
— Matthew Foldi (@MatthewFoldi) July 3, 2025
Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) was also caught taking a snooze, leaning back in her seat with two open bottles of sparkling water sitting in front of her.
WATCH:@RepDebDingell is asleep in a hearing room pic.twitter.com/AhVaGiFjcf
— Matthew Foldi (@MatthewFoldi) May 14, 2025
During the speech, X posts mocking Jeffries’ theatrics rolled out in droves.
“Have you ever — ever — seen a losing team hang around the field this long?” conservative broadcaster Hugh Hewitt wrote. “Dems don’t understand they are conducting an hours-long surrender ceremony.”
Have you ever —ever— seen a losing team hang around the field this long?
Dems don’t understand they are conducting an hours-long surrender ceremony.
— Hugh Hewitt (@hughhewitt) July 3, 2025
Dan Scavino, the official White House accountant, posted a clip of Jeffries overlaid with a superimposed image of Trump playing an out-of-tune version of Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” on a flute.
— Dan Scavino (@Scavino47) July 3, 2025
Even Vice President JD Vance weighed in, delivering the final twist of the knife.
GOP Congressman just texted me:
“I was undecided on the bill but then I watched Hakeem Jeffries performance and now I’m a firm yes.”
— JD Vance (@JDVance) July 3, 2025
“GOP Congressman just texted me: ‘I was undecided on the bill but then I watched Hakeem Jeffries performance and now I’m a firm yes,’” he posted.