MAGA Republicans continue to blatantly admit that they want to take the economy hostage for political gain. Yesterday, RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel said that the lack of a deal to avoid defaulting on our debt “bodes very well for the Republican field.” McDaniel’s comments come after MAGA Congressman Matt Gaetz said the quiet part out loud: “I think my conservative colleagues for the most part… don’t feel like we should negotiate with our hostage.” As President Biden and Democrats work to prevent default and avoid catastrophe for the American economy, MAGA Republicans are threatening to put our nation into default for the first time in our history unless they get their extreme partisan demands.

Ronna McDaniel said yesterday that the debt ceiling crisis was a political boon for Republicans in 2024. 

Mediaite: “Ronna McDaniel Says Possible U.S. Default ‘Bodes Very Well for the Republican Field’ in 2024”

McDaniel: “And then you look at this debt ceiling crisis. You look at us about to default… This is a president that is failing the American people. So I think that bodes very well for the Republican field.”

House Republicans — including MAGA extremist Congressman Matt Gaetz — are openly refusing to move forward in good faith toward a bipartisan agreement.

HuffPost: “House Republicans Pretty Much Admit They Are Taking Debt Limit ‘Hostage’”

Semafor: “Matt Gaetz embraces role as hostage taker as House leaders brace for debt limit fallout”

Semafor: “Republicans have often bristled at accusations that they are resorting to hostage tactics by refusing to raise the federal debt ceiling without securing spending cuts. But on Tuesday, Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz leaned into the charge as he explained to reporters that he and his fellow hardline conservatives would likely reject any sort of compromise deal that watered down the party-line bill Republicans passed through the house.”

New York Times: “Hard-right Republicans have fueled the debt-limit standoff by demanding deep spending cuts as the price of averting a default, and they are all but certain to oppose any compromise.”

Gaetz isn’t the only House Republican saying they are taking the debt ceiling hostage.

Peter Baker, New York Times: “The White House has compared Republicans in the debt ceiling fight to hostage takers. Some Republicans now embrace the comparison and add that they ‘don’t feel like we should negotiate with our hostage.’”

Washington Post: “Asked Tuesday evening what Republicans were offering to get Democratic votes, Rep. Patrick T. McHenry (R-N.C.) gave a brief answer: ‘The debt ceiling.’”

Roll Call: “‘We’re willing to give them an increase in debt ceiling,” [Rep. Garret Graves] said. ‘That’s what they’re getting.’”

Insider: “Some conservative lawmakers don’t want Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy to make any compromises with President Joe Biden on the debt ceiling — even with a default potentially eight days away.”