7:43New Jersey Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill appears on ABC News’ “This Week” on Jan. 18, 2026.ABC News
New Jersey Democratic Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill criticized President Donald Trump on Sunday for attempting to purchase Greenland while the rising cost of living remains a significant concern in the United States.
"There isn’t a single individual in New Jersey who wakes up each day and thinks, 'I hope today is the day the president invests billions in buying Greenland while my grocery expenses keep increasing,'" Sherrill stated during her interview with ABC News’ "This Week" co-anchor Jonathan Karl.
Just two days prior to her inauguration, Sherrill engaged in an exclusive conversation with Karl, promising to reduce expenses as governor without detailing the specific measures she would implement.
Sherrill mentioned that the tariffs imposed by Trump during his initial term are driving up costs for Americans.
New Jersey Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill appears on ABC News’ “This Week” on Jan. 18, 2026.ABC News
"Currently, opportunities are being restricted at every level. We observe a president who is consistently enforcing this tariff system, benefiting himself financially while escalating costs for everyone else," Sherrill asserted. "Therefore, we are opposing that."
Sherrill was elected in November by a substantial margin, surpassing the margin achieved by former Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election in the Garden State. When Karl inquired about what lessons the Democratic Party should learn from her success, Sherrill emphasized that Democrats ought to "listen to the people."
"Engage with the community and hear from your constituents or potential constituents," Sherrill advised. "But the most important thing I can do now for the Democratic Party is to govern effectively, to fulfill the commitments I made, because, as I’ve noted, there’s an affordability crisis."
Sherrill has previously indicated that she will declare a state of emergency regarding utility costs, thereby freezing current rates, on her first day in office.
Karl also questioned Sherrill about the ongoing immigration enforcement actions in Minneapolis, where demonstrators clashed with federal agents over the weekend.
"[ICE is] attacking individuals on the streets. They’re breaking into cars … people are being shot and killed by these out-of-control paramilitary agents," Sherrill remarked. "I believe the president is attempting to provoke the protesters to divert attention from the fact that his militia, which he’s assembling across the nation, is actually assaulting American citizens."
Karl asked Sherrill, a Naval Academy alumna who piloted helicopters in the Navy, "You’re a military veteran … what implications would it have if he actually follows through on the threat to invoke the Insurrection Act and deploy those active-duty troops currently on standby into Minneapolis?"
"[Trump] appears to be trying to incite an insurrection to then deploy troops onto the streets for that insurrection," Sherrill responded. "This is a matter of concern for every American citizen."
Trump administration representatives have stated that there are no intentions to withdraw federal agents from Minneapolis and have defended the actions of ICE agents following several shootings. The deadly shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis on January 7 by ICE agent Jonathan Ross led to backlash from Democrats and some local residents.
After threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act, Trump informed reporters on Friday that he didn’t believe it was necessary to invoke it at this moment.
"If I need it, I’ll utilize it. I don’t think there’s any reason to use it right now, but if I need to, I’d use it. It’s a very powerful tool," Trump remarked.
Immigration enforcement actions also occurred in Sherrill’s home state
Sourse: abcnews.go.com