DNC Chair Slams David Hogg Over Party Infighting in Leaked Meeting Audio: ‘Really Frustrating’

Democratic National Committee (DNC) Vice Chair David Hogg is facing mounting pressure from his fellow party officers after being accused of leaking a private audio recording that exposed deep infighting within the party’s top ranks. The controversy comes just four months after Hogg, a 25-year-old progressive activist, was elected to the role and began urging the organization to embrace bolder reforms and support challenges to incumbent Democrats in safely blue districts.

The leaked recording, captured during a May 15 Zoom call, features DNC Chair Ken Martin criticizing Hogg for actions he claims have undermined his leadership and complicated efforts to rebuild after Democrats' defeat in the 2024 election. “It has plenty of warts, and we’re all trying to change those, for sure, but the longer we continue this fight, the harder it is for us to actually do what we all want to do, which is make a difference in this country again,” Martin said in the call. He went on to express personal frustration, stating, “for the first time in my 100 days on this job... I don’t know if I want to do this anymore.”

Party officers were quick to point fingers at Hogg following the leak. DNC Vice Chair Malcolm Kenyatta rebuked him, saying, “For weeks, I’ve pointed out David’s causal relationship with the truth. He proves he has no relationship with integrity if he’s willing to record and leak private conversations.” Jane Kleeb, president of the Association of State Democratic Committees, added, “The endless, self-serving narratives – and the deliberate leaking of private conversations – by David Hogg and his allies must stop.” She also emphasized that such leaks “erode trust in the very institution we’re trying to reform and strengthen.”

Beyond the controversy over the audio, Hogg is also entangled in a formal complaint challenging his February election as vice chair. The complaint, filed by Oklahoma DNC member Kalyn Free, alleges that the election violated the party’s gender-balance rules. As a result, an electronic vote is set to begin Monday to determine whether Hogg and Kenyatta will be allowed to remain in their positions.

In a statement posted to social media, Hogg responded by deflecting from the controversy, urging Democrats not to lose focus on the broader struggle against Republican policies. “Trump just nationalized California’s national guard in his latest step on his authoritarian march to stomp out dissent against mass deportations,” Hogg wrote, referencing recent protests in Los Angeles. “Republicans want us turning on each other so they can continue getting away with this. While Chair Martin and I have had our disagreements we are both in this to build the strongest party possible.” He neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the leak.

The fallout continued online, with New York State Senator James Skoufis directly accusing Hogg: “BS. It was you. Everyone knows it. Leaking audio of a private call with party leadership is a disgrace and shows how deeply unserious and uncommitted you are to building a better, stronger, more inclusive Democratic Party.”

Despite the turmoil, Martin declared his intention to stay on as DNC chair and maintain focus on the upcoming battles with Republicans, stating, “Our fight is not within the Democratic Party, our fight is and has to be solely focused on Donald Trump and the disastrous Republican agenda.” Other DNC officers echoed this sentiment and voiced support for Martin’s leadership, cautioning that the infighting threatens to distract from urgent policy issues and the party’s core mission.

As the DNC heads into a consequential internal vote, the rift between the party’s entrenched leadership and a rising generation of progressive reformers has been laid bare. Trust, unity, and the path forward for the party all remain in question as the fallout from the leaked audio continues to dominate Democratic circles.