Politicsnation. Tonight slayed right now, the israelhamas war is intensifying. Three weeks after it started. But israels Military Chief Wanted the war has entered its next stage ahead of a major offensive in the gaza strip. This weekend the idf claims that some of its forces have already begun massing inside the palestinian territory, we are an intense series of israeli airstrikes has knocked out Communication Systems and Internet Access into gaza, effectively cutting off its 2 million residents from the outside world. Back in washington, congress is preparing to take up the white house major multi billion dollar request for aid to israel. One of its first tests under new republican Speaker Mike Johnson. House Minority LeaderHakeem Jeffries joins me in a moment. As Congress Works through Big Questions on israel, ukraine, and gun control, after this weeks horrific Mass Shooting in maine, and later, donald trump took the stand for the first time in his new york fraud trial this week and then he proceeded to storm right out after his former Attorney Michael Cohen described him as a mob boss and a judge hit him with a second gag order for the same trial. Michael cohen joined us tonight. As trump and his older kids prepared to take the stand over the next nine days. And weve got news in the 2024 president ial race. Mike pence suspending his president ial campaign, just a couple of hours ago. My Political Panel is standing by with analysis from both sides. Got a big politicsnation show tonight. Lets go. Before we talk with Minority LeaderHakeem Jeffries, lets get a quick update from israel where nbcs Ellison Barber Is Standing by. Ellison, its midnight there. What is the latest update . We are on the israel gaza border. Does it is just behind me. That is the north part of gaza. We have seen and heard throughout the night artillery, you are hearing some of it now in the distance. Fire in the direction of gaza. We have seen rockets fired into gaza. Numerous explosions in northern gaza, lighting up the skyline. We have also seen rockets fired from inside of gaza towards israeli cities in this area. Israels Prime Minister says they have entered a new phase of this war. That Ground Forces are inside of northern israel. They announced that initially the grant forces had gone into israel last night, at about 8 15 local time. They have not left since then. Theyve been in there for more than 24 hours now. Hospitals, it is really forces were on the ground in gaza. Military wing state, in a social media post just yesterday, they were engaging with Israeli Forces in at least two different cities in northern gaza. And they described those clashes as violent clashes. Israel says they are targeting hamas militants, as well as infrastructure. And that includes targeting the Tunnel System that is underground inside of gaza. That is also where israeli Officials Say they believe some of the people who have been abducted by hamas militants were taken and are being held. There are over 200 people still being held hostage by hamas. Israel says, getting them back, returning them to their families, that is part of their mission in this war and this new phase. They say this new phase, ultimately, what they hope to do is dismantle hamas entirely and permanently. Secure borders. And also bring those hostages home. There has been some disagreement amongst families of hostages. Some who want to see an exchange. Palestinian prisoners, over 4000 being held in israeli jails, released for the hostages, to be released by hamas. Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu was asked about that. He did not go into details, only saying that getting the hostages back is not just a side note to this war. He says it is one of their key goals here. But as we hear the booms inside of gaza, such a difficult time getting information from inside gaza, because more than 40 hours now, all communications have been out. Completely dark. The only sporadic messages that seem to be making their way out come from people with International Phone numbers. Thats described inside gaza, a horrific scene. Every single block is impacted and people, palestinians, carrying the dead and injured in trolleys and talk to. Reverend al . Thank you. And the Seas Ellison Barber in israel. Joining me now, here on set is House Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries. Democrat of new york. Minority leader jeffries, we appreciate you joining us tonight. This week after three weeks of infighting, the House Republican caucus elected a new speaker. Farright louisiana congressman mike johnson. A devoted defender of donald trump. A 2020 election denier, whose views are anti lgbtq, anti abortion, antimuslim, opposed to separation of church and state, and havent only been in the house since 2016, hes the least experienced speaker and 140 years. What does his ascent say about the house gop right now . Ay about th good evening ralph, great o be with you. I think from the very beginning of this congress, the extreme maga Republican Ideology has been on full display. Now that might accelerate. It remains to be seen what the tenure of Speaker Mike Johnson maybe, on the democratic side we continue to make clear as we have from the very beginning of the year, we will seek to find bipartisan Common Ground whenever and wherever possible with our republican colleagues for the good of the American People. However, we will continue to push back against maga extremism whenever necessary. The new speaker. You met with him and President Biden on thursday to discuss the new administrations Funding Request which bundles 14 Billion Dollars in aid in israel and 60 Billion Dollars to ukraine. Ukraine aid. Which johnson has opposed in the past. Joining 93 republicans and voting for an amendment to last months defense spending bill, to cut that aid off. As speaker johnson has axed the administration, quote, bifurcate all of the request in line with the number of republicans colin four separate votes on aid to israel and ukraine. But hes also reiterated that russias invasion must be stopped. Whats your sense about how this will go . In my view, the package that was sent by President Biden was released to providing support for israel, providing support for ukraine and its effort against russian aggression, providing support for humanitarian assistance, for palestinians who may be in harms way palestinians in gaza. As well as meeting some of the needs of trying to strengthen some of the situation at the border and standing with our allies in the pacific, but throughout the three world. These things would all move for together. Because they all relate to our values and to Americas National security interests. And it is necessary, as speaker johnson has indicated, that we stop flood him or putin and his brutality in his tracks in ukraine. Its the right thing to do for the free world. Its the right thing to do for our allies in europe. Its the right thing to do for the principles of democracy, freedom, and truth. And the right thing to do in israel and palestine. We are you have individuals on both sides who have nothing to do with the politics, that are now being killed. And slaughtered. And displaced. But let me ask you about this. This week smashing in lewiston, who maine. That killed 18 people, the so horrific killing. It compelled your colleague, maine congressman jared goldman, to reverse his opposition to Assault Weapons. You contrast it with the newspapers response, from his interview thursday night with fox news, to my audience who missed a, take a listen. At the end of the day, the problem is the human heart. Its not guns, its not weapons. At the end of the day, we have to protect the right of the citizens to protect themselves. Its the second amendment. Our party is strongly for that. This is not the time to be talking about legislation. We are in the middle of that right now. How do you hope to make any progress on the issue of gun Violence Holding that position . Congressman golden, first and foremost, is a good man. Hes a patriot. Hes a veteran. Hes served his country ably in uniform. And hes now serving the people of maine. I think we need to come together and look at common sense gun safety measures. That are designed to address what has become the uniquely american challenge in terms of the gun violence epidemic. And the carnage that continues to be inflicted on the American People. 18 innocent souls lost their lives in maine. They were gunned down by a weapon of war. Weapons that were not used to hunt deer, is that were used to hunt human beings. Thats a big challenge weve got to confront. Switching gears, congressman. You have to developments this week involvement electoral maps. Both of implications for 2024. In georgia, a u. S. Federal judge ordered that the states republican joined congressional and state billet of maps must be redrawn and the next five weeks. Colin the maps diluted georgias black vote in violation of the Voting Rights act. In North Carolina, we were the North Carolina republican super majority passed a congressional map that will likely flip at least three states for the gop, ten out of 14 of the states new districts now favoring republicans. That map takes effect immediately. With 2024 just weeks away, what are your thoughts . House democrats will continue to make our case to the voters back on our track record of success. President bidens a tremendous job and leading. We have gotten big things done for the American People in terms of creating jobs back home in the United States of america. Clint warner in every community. Dropping the price of these are incredible and compliments that relate to us building an economy that works for everyday americans. Thats verification for the future. People over politics. On the other side of the aisle, what we see as republicans are leaning into Voter Suppression and intense partisan gerrymandering as an electoral strategy. Thats been the reality of this version of the Republican Party. We saw intense gerrymandering in the last election cycle, in florida, and alabama, in louisiana, in georgia, as has now been confirmed by a federal court, now in North Carolina. Its an electoral strategy for extreme maga republicans. We are going to fight them in court, former Attorney General doing a tremendous job. As well as other lawyers dealing with this in state after state after state. And were going to continue into our ideas. At the end of the day, we will have a theory map, a match we cant win, on and will take our case to the American People. One more question about 2024. Former Vice President pence announcing today he is dropping out of the race and with the new Speaker Mike Johnson in mind, because he was a leading figure and House Republican efforts to overturn the 2020 president ial election results. Now hes in a position as speaker where he could theory conceivably play a Leadership Role in deciding that next one. I mean january 6th was about stopping certification. If you have a speaker, you have a close vote, he may not want to convene the house to certify the election. How do you deal with that . What are your thoughts . Some say hes with jim jordan with a check it on. How do you deal with . That this is why we have got one electoral mission. Democrats need to win back that maturity in November 2024 so its a democratic majority that is prepared to certify the election on january 6th of 2025. But everything is on the ballot. Democracy will be on the ballot. Evidenced by the position many of the election deniers who reproductive freedom being on the pilot. We believe in a womans freedom to make her own Reproductive Health care decision. They want to criminalize Abortion Care and propose that nation what ban. Social security and medicare are on the ballot. We believe these things are an important part of the american dream. The other side wants to and Social Security and medicare as we know it. Stakes are high, weve got to lean, and show up, speak, up stand up. And weve got to prevail. Do you think you can have some conversations with this new speaker johnson and make some headway . Ive known you 15, 20 years. Youve always been one to try to balance things. Do you think you can find some balance with johnson . We have a responsibility to sit down and find Common Ground where possible. But hold the line on our values. Well continue to do that. We are going to strongly disagree and a lot of areas. We can agree to disagree without being disagreeable. House Minority LeaderHakeem Jeffries, thank you for being with us in studio tonight. After the break, former trump Attorney Michael Cohen faces former President Trump in a manhattan courtroom for the first time in five years they saw each other. After the break, he joins us to discuss his testimony and his thoughts on his former bosss resolve behavior. Well be right back. L be right back. On the nerve. I recommend sensodyne. Sensodyne toothpaste goes inside the tooth and calms the nerve down. And my patients say you know doc, it really works. 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We make money from ads, but they dont follow you aroud join the millions of people taking back their privacy by downloading duckduckgo on all your devices today. Welcome back to politicsnation. Sparks were flying in a manhattan courthouse this week as former President Donald Trump came face to face with his former fixer, they call him. Michael cohen for the first time in five years. Cohen took the stand as a witness in trumps 250 milliondollar fraud trial and it was no shortage of drama to the proceedings. Fresh off his testimony Michael Cohen, author of revenge, how donald trump weaponized that u. S. Department of justice against his critics. Thats the name of the book. He joins us now. Michael, i must start with this. Take a listen to what trump said about your testimony after he abruptly exit to the courtroom on wednesday. That witnessed just admitted that we won the trial, and the judge should into immediately. Thank you. Whats your response . I dont know where that even came from, to be honest. Donald trump lives in a reality that only exists from his left ear to his right ear. Nobody else saw or heard any testimony from me that exonerates him, that he won the trial. In fact, his lawyers made a motion for a directed verdict that judge and go around stated. And ive never heard a judge had this before. Absolutely denied. Not once but twice. So where he comes up with this nonsense that we won, i said he won, i have no idea what this guy talks about. Its this reality and then there is donald. Trumps outburst came just hours after he was slapped with the 10,000 dollar fine for violating his gag order with these comments. Take a listen. This judge is a very partisan judge with a history person partisan sitting alongside him. Perhaps even much more partisan than he. Is the judge forced trump to take the stand, explain his comments. He testified under oath. He was talking about you. The judge said that claim was not credible. Whats your reaction . What happened . Could he have been talking about . You know, and he knew the judge obviously knew. Let me be clear about this. This was the mostlimited ga