Rula Jebreal’s use of the phrase “AIPAC monkey” to describe Hakeem Jeffries on a left-wing podcast triggered swift condemnation from Democratic lawmakers and the Congressional Black Caucus, exposing deep fractures over Israel and race on the progressive left.
During a September 2 appearance on Wajahat Ali’s “The Left Hook” podcast, journalist Rula Jebreal launched an attack on House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, calling him “a bought and paid by AIPAC monkey” and an “errand boy” as she criticized his support for Israel and his relationship with the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC. Jebreal, who is frequently described as anti-Israel, pressed her case by invoking Jeffries’ name and heritage, saying, “His name is Hakeem. ‘Hakeem’ is an Arabic name which means ‘healer.’ He’s not a healer, he’s a divider.”
Her remarks were met with immediate pushback, even from her fellow progressive and podcast host Wajahat Ali. “Using monkey to anyone Black, it has terrible racial connotations. But I think you caught yourself and said you didn’t mean it with any racial animosity,” he told Jebreal, who insisted, “I didn’t.” Jebreal attempted to explain, “There’s these three monkeys, one, I cannot hear, I cannot see, I cannot speak. It reminds me of these three monkeys.”
The controversy escalated rapidly as clips of the exchange spread online. The Congressional Black Caucus issued a rare and forceful statement, rejecting Jebreal’s explanation and calling out the use of such language against Jeffries, who is Black and leads House Democrats. “To be clear, there isn’t a non-racist way to call Leader Jeffries, a Black man, a ‘monkey’ or ‘errand boy,’” the Caucus declared on X. “This is what happens when we hold ourselves to such low standards for what’s allowable in our discourse, people get comfortable being openly bigoted.” The group added, “We have to stop platforming and trafficking in anti-Black racism, whether it’s on the political right or the left.”
Democratic lawmakers echoed the condemnation. Rep. Joe Neguse called it “blatantly racist and offensive rhetoric, it should be condemned by everyone, across the political spectrum. Period,” while Rep. Ritchie Torres stated simply, “Calling a Black man a ‘monkey’ is racist. Full stop.” Torres added, “If Wajahat Ali and Rula Jebreal were on the far right, no one on the far left would have any trouble condemning them for dehumanizing a Black man in racist terms. The silence is deafening.” Fox News Digital reported that Jeffries did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Jebreal attempted to tamp down the outrage with a written apology posted to X, admitting, “A term that I used to describe him was inappropriate and offensive and should never have been used. I apologize unconditionally.” But even as she expressed regret, she doubled down on her criticism of Jeffries’ stance on Israel: “I am disgusted and horrified that Hakeem Jeffries is taking money from AIPAC amidst Israel's genocide in Palestine.” She offered no evidence for her accusation, and the source does not independently verify her claims regarding AIPAC or Jeffries’ relationship with the organization.
PR executive Jason Mudd observed that Jebreal’s apology was less a confession than a strategic move: “She reasserts the accusation first and tucks the apology at the end. That's not confessing. That's a closing argument with ‘sorry’ bolted on.” He added, “The podcast clarification and the written apology target two different audiences: One tried to survive the moment live, the other tried to survive the headline.”
Democratic lawmakers continued to distance themselves from Jebreal’s remarks, with the Washington Examiner noting that Rep. Ayanna Pressley joined Neguse and Torres in denouncing the language. The incident put a spotlight not just on the rhetoric of the far left but also on the willingness, or reluctance, of progressives to police their own side when racial lines are crossed.
The backlash also drew attention to ongoing divisions within the Democratic Party, where figures like Jeffries have faced repeated public attacks from activists and left-leaning commentators over their support for Israel and relationships with groups like AIPAC. This is only the latest episode in a pattern of escalating rhetoric, as seen in recent Democratic disputes over party leadership and Israel policy. Jeffries faces a growing revolt inside his own caucus, and the intensity of these attacks is unlikely to subside as the election cycle heats up.
The Congressional Black Caucus’s statement drew a sharp line, arguing that the left’s willingness to excuse or rationalize bigoted language when it comes from their own side is a dangerous double standard. “This is what happens when we hold ourselves to such low standards for what’s allowable in our discourse, people get comfortable being openly bigoted,” the group said, insisting that anti-Black racism cannot be tolerated, “whether it’s on the political right or the left.” Breitbart also reported on the CBC’s response and the broader context of left-wing attacks on Jeffries.
As the Democratic Party struggles to manage internal dissent, the episode reflects recurring questions about leadership and accountability. Jeffries, already under pressure from progressive critics and facing calls from some quarters to step aside, must now contend with the fallout from being targeted with racially charged slurs from his own side. This follows other leadership challenges, including Sen. Elissa Slotkin’s call for new leadership in the Democratic ranks.
The outcry over Jebreal’s language also comes amid a series of controversies over activist rhetoric directed at Jeffries and the party establishment. As reported in a recent episode involving hostile chants and public pressure at Democratic events, the rift continues to grow between party leaders and the activist left. Warnock responds to socialist chants aimed at Jeffries is just one example of the sharp divides now on display.
While the Congressional Black Caucus and several lawmakers condemned Jebreal’s words, the incident has also exposed a lingering reluctance among some progressives to unequivocally denounce bigotry on their own side. Rep. Torres’s comment, “The silence is deafening”, was a pointed jab at left-wing activists and commentators who are quick to condemn Republicans for racially charged rhetoric but less willing to do so when the target is a fellow progressive or a left-leaning critic of Israel.
Jeffries himself did not immediately comment, but the episode adds fuel to ongoing debates about party discipline and standards for public conduct. This controversy follows earlier instances where Jeffries has threatened consequences for Democrats who stray from party lines, as seen in his response to a GOP-forced anti-socialism vote. The Democrats’ handling of the Jebreal episode will be watched closely by both critics and supporters as a test of whether the party can enforce its own rules on civility and respect, regardless of ideology.
For all the left’s talk of inclusion and justice, the facts show that double standards and ugly rhetoric are alive and well when political lines are at stake. If Democrats want credibility on issues of race and decency, it starts with holding their own to account.