Kushner Meets House Democratic Leader Jeffries as Trump Allies Scramble to Save Face Before Midterms
Select a version of the text written from a presumed ideological perspective. This is not the original text, but a hypothetical version — how someone with that viewpoint might have phrased it. Tapping the current version again will return to the original or select cleaned version.
Trump adviser Jared Kushner and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries met privately in New York City ahead of the 2024 midterm elections, discussing urgent issues like housing, immigration, and the cost of living. The meeting comes as Democrats push to reclaim the House and resist the GOP’s hardline agenda.
President Donald Trump’s adviser Jared Kushner, a figure whose influence has long been criticized for lacking accountability, met privately with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in New York City, a source confirmed to CBS News. The discussion, reported by The New York Times, covered critical policy areas including housing, immigration, and the cost of living—issues that have been exacerbated by years of Republican neglect and obstructionism. The meeting took place less than three months before the November midterm elections, when Democrats are expected to mount a serious challenge to the GOP’s grip on the House, with Jeffries poised to become speaker if Democrats win a majority.
Jeffries did not confirm the meeting but issued a statement reaffirming the Democratic Party’s commitment to resisting the authoritarian, “my-way-or-the-highway” approach to governing that has defined the Trump era.
"To stop the madness, we have repeatedly made clear that an extremist approach will not work and will be met with forceful opposition," Jeffries said, signaling a clear rejection of the right-wing agenda.
Kushner, who continues to wield influence despite holding no formal White House position, previously worked with Jeffries on criminal-justice reform during Trump’s first term—a rare moment of bipartisan cooperation in an otherwise divisive administration. The White House and Kushner’s spokesperson, unsurprisingly, did not respond to requests for comment, highlighting the administration’s lack of transparency.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a staunch Trump ally, claimed ignorance about the meeting, telling Fox News, "I don't know what that's about," and downplaying Kushner’s involvement in the administration—a typical attempt to distance the GOP from its own power brokers when convenient.
Trump, notorious for his attacks on Democratic leaders like Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, has only met with Schumer and Jeffries once this term. Despite his history of inflammatory rhetoric, Trump recently tried to soften his image, telling the press he could work with Jeffries and calling him a "nice guy"—a transparent attempt to appear bipartisan as the midterms approach.
"People are harsh on me. I'm harsh on them. It's part of the world. I'd probably get along with him very well," Trump said, glossing over his administration’s record of division.