House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Jared Kushner, former President Donald Trump's son-in-law, met privately to explore bipartisan issues as Democrats aim to regain control of the House in the upcoming November elections. The meeting, reported by the New York Times, focused on housing, immigration, and cost of living as potential areas for collaboration between House Democrats and the Trump administration.
The meeting took place in New York City, arranged by a mutual acquaintance. Jeffries and Kushner previously collaborated on a criminal justice bill during Trump's first term. Despite their differing political affiliations, they have maintained a professional relationship over the years.
During the meeting, Kushner suggested that Jeffries connect with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles to gain the president's attention. Kushner emphasized that Jeffries is crucial for achieving bipartisan efforts in Congress, despite public disagreements between Jeffries and Trump.
Jeffries expressed a willingness to work with the administration, provided that it aligns more closely with Democratic positions on affordability and cost of living. He stated, "Throughout this Congress, Republicans have adopted a my-way-or-the-highway approach to governing that has failed the American people. In every conversation that we have with the Trump administration, we will continue to make it explicitly clear that the affordability crisis is not a hoax, and nothing short of transformational policy change is acceptable. We are fighting for an affordable America. The question is whether Republicans will join us."
As the midterm elections approach, the Democratic Party is focused on securing a House majority, which could challenge the Republican administration's agenda. Currently, Republicans hold a narrow majority in both chambers of Congress, but there is a greater likelihood that they may lose control of the House rather than the Senate. If Democrats regain control, Jeffries would be positioned to replace Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA). He has been nominated for the speaker role multiple times since 2023 but has not yet secured the position due to his party's minority status.