Representative Jonathan Jackson
Rep. Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.) on Saturday criticized President Donald Trump for stoking political chaos and warned that the U.S. could face significant financial instability if lawmakers fail to raise the debt ceiling.
Speaking during the Rainbow PUSH Coalition broadcast, Jackson also highlighted concerns about Russell Vought, a key figure behind Trump’s right-wing Project 2025 agenda, who has been confirmed as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Jackson said Vought’s role in the administration would not bode well for the nation.
“We are about to go into a very painful period,” Jackson said, urging listeners to mark March 14 as the day the country faces a crucial moment: reaching its debt ceiling. As of now, the U.S. national debt stands at $31.38 trillion, and without an increase in the debt limit, the country could default on its obligations.
Jackson noted that Trump has called for Congress to raise or suspend the debt ceiling, but divisions among House members remain. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has proposed passing the debt ceiling increase along with elements of Trump’s Project 2025, which could allow Republicans to bypass Democratic opposition in the Senate.
“They are going to play high-stakes gamesmanship, trying to figure out who will blink and who will make concessions,” Jackson warned. “They are willing to risk it all for these concessions.”
A member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Jackson expressed grave concerns about cuts to U.S. foreign aid, particularly to USAID, which provides critical humanitarian assistance around the globe. Jackson said he had heard testimony about USAID employees stranded in foreign countries without pay, unable to return home due to lack of funds.
“These are people who have dedicated their lives to public service, and they’re not in it for private profit,” Jackson said. “They want to feed the hungry. I’ve seen hunger in frontline states like Kenya and Rwanda. You’d never say you’re starving if you saw the conditions I’ve witnessed.”
Jackson explained the devastating effects of these cuts, pointing to locked-up supplies of food and medicine that USAID employees could not distribute. “There are employees sitting there watching food rot,” he said, revealing that one whistleblower who tried to expose $500 million worth of food wasted overseas was fired for their efforts.
He warned of the dire consequences, suggesting that food shortages could lead to civil unrest and increased human trafficking.
“People will steal the food before they starve,” Jackson said. “This will lead to civil wars over food access, and it will increase sex trafficking as children are sold for food.”
Jackson also condemned tech billionaire Elon Musk, criticizing him for “denying food to the poorest people on earth.” Musk, he noted, is making millions daily while cutting government contracts for others.
“Musk has $15 billion in government contracts, yet he is cutting others’ contracts,” Jackson said. “There is no Department of Government Efficiency. Musk is making billions off the government while denying resources to those who need them.”
He suggested that Musk’s involvement in government affairs, including his role in SpaceX and Tesla, reflects a disregard for public service. Jackson also criticized Musk’s hiring practices, accusing him of employing individuals who lacked government experience but who were willing to push for cuts to critical programs.
“If you want to make money, that’s fine,” Jackson said. “But if you want to help people, work in government and serve the people honorably.”
Jackson also raised concerns about the potential elimination of programs like the Department of Education and warned that cutting such programs would directly harm vulnerable communities.
“We cannot allow them to take away our progress,” Jackson said. “When you hear of Fortune 500 companies discontinuing their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs, that’s a direct attack on our children’s future.”
He pointed to recent efforts to ban the DEI programs initiated during Trump’s first week in office and said such actions signal a return to policies that undermine civil rights. Jackson also announced the formation of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Caucus in the House, led by him and Rep. Cleo Fields (D-La.).
“Those attacking DEI are attacking civil rights,” Jackson said. “They are trying to stop social progress and roll back opportunities for our children.”
As the country faces increasing attacks on education and civil rights, Jackson warned that the forces behind these efforts, including Musk and Trump, were using their power to push the nation backward.
Jackson also criticized Trump’s administration for its hypocrisy, pointing to the way the president and his allies, despite their claims to religious devotion, were undermining the nation’s social progress.
“They will claim to be Christians, quote the Bible, and then sign bills that are directly harmful to the people they claim to serve,” Jackson said.
He encouraged listeners to call their representatives, urging them to stand up for government accountability and demand action on the debt ceiling and social justice issues. Jackson suggested calling Republican lawmakers at 202-224-3121, saying, “We need to make sure our government works for the people, not for billionaires like Musk.”
Jackson also highlighted the growing power of tech executives in shaping U.S. policy, including Musk’s involvement in shaping government contracts, and the growing influence of right-wing ideologies on government decisions. He said the push to eliminate social programs was part of a broader right-wing agenda designed to undermine progress made by marginalized communities.
“We are all co-equals in government,” Jackson said. “I don’t work for Trump or Musk. We all have to be involved in politics and fight for what’s right.”