House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Jared Kushner recently met in private to discuss areas of common ground, The New York Times reported on Sunday, despite Democrats and the Trump administration continuing to publicly savage each other ahead of the midterm elections.
At least three people told the outlet that the two met at a private space in New York City, where they reportedly discussed housing, immigration and cost of living as potential areas where there could be a working relationship between Democrats and the Trump administration.
“Throughout this Congress, Republicans have adopted a my-way-or-the-highway approach to governing that has failed the American people. To stop the madness, we have repeatedly made clear that an extremist approach will not work and will be met with forceful opposition,” the moderate told HuffPost in a statement, declining to confirm the meeting’s existence.
Jeffries and Kushner have worked together before, with sources telling the Times that the recent meeting was a catch-up for the figures. During Trump’s first term, the two collaborated on a criminal justice bill.
Kushner holds no official position in Trump’s government but has still essentially served as his father-in-law’s foreign envoy, particularly in the Middle East as he helps lead failed efforts to end Trump’s war in Iran and enforce the collapsing ceasefire in Gaza. He’s been under renewed scrutiny for conflicts between regional diplomacy and his Gulf-linked investments.
“I don’t know what that’s about. I know Jared has interest in lots of other things going on,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said of the reported meeting on Fox News’ “The Sunday Briefing.” “He’s not really directly involved in the admin, at least in the day-to-day in the White House.”
The White House did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment on whether Trump was aware of the reported meeting, and if he is willing to have a working relationship with Jeffries and his party.
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The alleged meeting could suggest that Trump’s allies foresee Democrats retaking the House in November’s midterms, which would put Jeffries in line to be speaker. With less than 75 days until the election, Republicans find themselves struggling in recent polls. According to the Times, Kushner has told allies to look to Jeffries if they want to accomplish anything bipartisan in Congress.
“The American people want bold change and that’s what House Democrats will deliver. 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,” Jeffries said in his statement. “We are fighting for an affordable America. The question is whether Republicans will join us.”
If Jeffries ends up leading a Democratic majority in the House, he will almost certainly face increased pressure from progressives on keeping the president accountable through oversight, as well as ensuring efforts to find common ground with the administration don’t mean sacrificing key parts of the party’s agenda.
The alleged areas of common ground Jeffries and Kushner reportedly spoke about have so far failed to produce any compromise between the parties ― including the president, who has refused to sign a bipartisan housing bill and maintained his aggressive position on immigration enforcement. Republicans in Congress have largely allowed Trump to run wild without pushback.
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“I wish I could say yes,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday when asked if he thinks Democrats could find common ground with the White House. The senator said the Trump administration has been “lawless” and full of “broken promises” and “betrayal.”
“Look, I’m in favor of people meeting with whoever they want to discuss ideas,” Van Hollen said. “But it’s one thing to have a meeting, it’s another thing to see something real come out of that.”
Trump has historically railed against Jeffries, posting a racist AI-generated meme of him in a mustache and sombrero, calling him a “thug” and describing as “low IQ.” Jeffries, whose only meeting with the president this term was last fall to discuss government funding, also hasn’t held back on his attacks against Trump.
The president appeared to change his tone earlier this month in an interview with Punchbowl News, saying Jeffries is someone with whom he could do business.
“I think he’s a nice guy,” Trump said. “I’d probably get along with him very well.”