Democrats are under fire after a stunning on-air gaffe involving New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D).
Shaheen appeared Thursday morning on Fox & Friends to defend her party during the ongoing government shutdown.
She attempted to push back against claims that Democrats were using the shutdown to provide taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal immigrants.
“I haven’t heard anybody in my party saying that illegal immigrants should get access to the health insurance marketplace,” Shaheen said confidently.
Fox host Lawrence Jones immediately hit back.
“I’m so glad you said that. Actually, I have some tape of your Democratic Party members saying this on the debate stage. Let’s play the clip.”
The footage was devastating.
It showed the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries, where every candidate from Joe Biden to Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, and Elizabeth Warren raised their hands when asked if they supported healthcare coverage for illegal immigrants, as the Conservative Brief reported.
“That’s literally every member of your party,” Jones told Shaheen.
Shaheen tried to recover. “I beg to disagree with you. I have not said that in the past. In New Hampshire, we do not provide health insurance for illegal immigrants. We have never done that, and you’re just wrong.”
The attempt fell flat. The tape spoke for itself, showing a record of Democrats openly supporting healthcare access for noncitizens.
Republicans were quick to seize on the moment. Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson have repeatedly criticized Democrats for holding the federal government “hostage” over illegal immigrant healthcare.
“The Democrats are trying to rewrite history,” conservative commentator Guy Benson said. “They were for it when it played well with the progressive base. Now that voters are angry about open borders, they’re suddenly pretending they never said any of this.”
Polling underscores the public backlash. Surveys from Pew Research and Gallup indicate nearly 70% of Americans oppose taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal immigrants. This includes a majority of independents and over a quarter of Democrats.
Even moderate Democrats are concerned. Rep. Jared Golden of Maine warned his party is “giving in to far-left groups” and losing credibility with working-class voters by siding with illegal immigration policies.
Shaheen’s live misstep has already gone viral on social media, with users sharing clips of her denial alongside the debate footage. Many are calling it emblematic of a larger Democratic problem: a disconnect between the party’s public messaging and its policy record.
The episode highlights Democrats’ struggle to defend their stance on illegal immigration while facing a skeptical public. Shaheen’s denial is unlikely to stem the tide of criticism, particularly with voters increasingly focused on border security and taxpayer spending.
This moment could have serious political consequences in New Hampshire, a swing state where voters are sensitive to issues of immigration and government overreach. Shaheen now faces mounting pressure to explain her contradiction.
The broader lesson is clear: Democrats cannot simply erase their past positions. Public records, debate footage, and media coverage make it nearly impossible to hide support for controversial policies.
Shaheen’s stumble is a cautionary tale for Democrats nationwide: voters remember, and the record matters.
