Democrats react to Jeffries-Kushner meeting
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The gist
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries met privately with Jared Kushner to discuss common ground.
The meeting signals possible bipartisan cooperation if Democrats win the House in November.
Background
The meeting was reported by The New York Times on Sunday, citing five people with knowledge of the session. It occurred as Democrats are favored to win the House in the November midterms, which would make Jeffries the likely Speaker. The two discussed potential areas of collaboration, though neither man commented publicly. The news drew incredulous reactions from some Democrats and Trump critics, who see it as inconsistent with a confrontational stance toward the administration.
How it unfolded
- recent weeksJeffries and Kushner met privately to discuss potential areas of common ground, according to five people with knowledge of the meeting.
- Aug 23, 2026The New York Times reported the meeting, prompting reactions from Democrats and critics.
- Aug 23, 2026Senator Chris van Hollen commented on NBC's Meet the Press, saying he supports people meeting but questioned whether anything real would come of it.
Who’s saying what
- Critics
- Senator Chris van Hollen said it's fine to meet but questioned whether anything real would come of it.
- Critics
- Tommy Vietor and Adam Kinzinger reacted incredulously, suggesting the meeting undermines Democratic opposition.
- Collaborative
- Gretchen Whitmer has taken a more collaborative approach to working with Trump, indicating some Democrats favor engagement.
Still unverified
The exact topics discussed in the meeting are not fully disclosed; details come from anonymous sources.