--- title: Backlash After Hakeem Jeffries Holds Private Meeting With Jared Kushner Ahead of Midterms description: The meeting, an unusual instance of a top Democrat and a Trump confidant coming together to discuss potential areas of agreement, has drawn scrutiny from some within Democratic circles. canonical: https://time.com/article/2026/08/24/hakeem-jeffries-private-meeting-with-jared-kushner-draws-backlash-ahead-of-midterms/ author: Tiago Ventura article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2026-08-24T12:33:51.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-24T16:56:36.000Z article:section: Politics og:title: Backlash After Hakeem Jeffries Holds Private Meeting With Jared Kushner Ahead of Midterms og:description: The meeting, an unusual instance of a top Democrat and a Trump confidant coming together to discuss potential areas of agreement, has drawn scrutiny from some within Democratic circles. og:url: https://time.com/article/2026/08/24/hakeem-jeffries-private-meeting-with-jared-kushner-draws-backlash-ahead-of-midterms/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt76f96fdf22c84eb0/6a8c2e5ce2cd3a24566dbde9/Jeffries.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: Jeffries.jpg og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Backlash After Hakeem Jeffries Holds Private Meeting With Jared Kushner Ahead of Midterms twitter:description: The meeting, an unusual instance of a top Democrat and a Trump confidant coming together to discuss potential areas of agreement, has drawn scrutiny from some within Democratic circles. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt76f96fdf22c84eb0/6a8c2e5ce2cd3a24566dbde9/Jeffries.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Backlash After Hakeem Jeffries Holds Private Meeting With Jared Kushner Ahead of Midterms > Sponsored content. 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Brief is TIME's Washington newsletter, written by senior correspondent Philip Elliott. It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, three times a week. It reaches 85,000 subscribers with a 37.0% open rate as of August 2026. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters.  by [Tiago Ventura](https://time.com/author/tiago-ventura/)  ## Tiago Ventura Aug 24, 2026 12:33 PM UTC  House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries speak at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on June 11, 2025 in Washington, D.C. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries speak at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on June 11, 2025 in Washington, D.C. Kevin Dietsch––Getty Images  by [Tiago Ventura](https://time.com/author/tiago-ventura/)  ## Tiago Ventura Aug 24, 2026 12:33 PM UTC House Minority Leader [Hakeem Jeffries](https://time.com/article/2026/04/09/calls-to-impeach-trump-collide-with-reluctant-democratic-leadership/) met privately with President [Donald Trump](https://time.com/article/2026/08/23/the-supreme-court-let-trumps-ballroom-proceed-for-now-heres-what-that-means/)’s son-in-law and adviser [Jared Kushner](https://time.com/article/2026/06/05/jared-kushner-backed-luxury-resort-albania-protests/) in recent weeks, prompting criticism from some Democrats ahead of approaching [midterm elections,](https://time.com/article/2026/08/14/congress-turnover-house-senate-republican-democrat-primaries-midterm-elections/) according to reports. Although Kushner, who served as a [senior West Wing](https://time.com/5766186/jared-kushner-interview/) adviser during Trump’s first term, does not have a formal role in the current Administration, he has remained involved in Trump’s diplomatic efforts in the[ Middle East](https://time.com/article/2026/06/30/us-iran-peace-deal-talks-technical-doha-mediators-strait-of-hormuz/) and[ Russia](https://apnews.com/video/trumps-special-envoy-steve-witkoff-and-his-son-in-law-jared-kushner-meet-with-putin-in-moscow-febc5898b1e74e1c800d7fbc27e4ee1c). During the meeting, the pair were said to have discussed housing, immigration, and the high cost of living as potential areas of common ground. The report comes less than three months before the November midterms, when[ Democrats are favored](https://time.com/article/2026/08/04/midterm-elections-republicans-democrats-polls-economy-trump/) to retake control of the House from Republicans, who currently hold both chambers of Congress. A Democratic victory would put Jeffries in line to become speaker and give the party greater oversight powers to investigate the Trump Administration. The meeting—an unusual instance of a top Democrat and a Trump confidant coming together to discuss potential areas of agreement—has drawn scrutiny from some within Democratic circles. It was first reported Sunday by [_The New York Times_](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/23/us/politics/jeffries-kushner-private-meeting.html) and has since been confirmed by multiple outlets. “Throughout this Congress, Republicans have adopted a my-way-or-the-highway approach to governing that has failed the American people," Jeffries says in a statement to TIME. "To stop the madness, we have repeatedly made clear that an extremist approach will not work and will be met with forceful opposition. 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. We are fighting for an affordable America. The question is whether Republicans will join us,” the statement reads. TIME has also reached out to the White House and Kushner for comment. Asked whether he supported the meeting during an interview on NBC’s _Meet the Press_ on Sunday, Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland[ said](https://youtu.be/GPh6GffGkmE?t=440): “I’m in favor of people meeting with whoever they want to discuss ideas. But it’s one thing to have a meeting. It’s another thing to see something real come out of that.” Tommy Vietor, a former aide to President Barack Obama and now a co-host of the podcast _Pod Save America_, was far less diplomatic. “Jared Kushner has no actual government job, he just uses his family connections to get money from Gulf autocrats and fund corrupt deals. The only way Jeffries should work with him is with demands for documents and subpoenas,” Vietor[ said](https://x.com/TVietor08/status/2091519661011828786). House Speaker [Mike Johnson](https://time.com/7306839/speaker-mike-johnson-interview/) said Sunday that he first learned of the meeting that same day, when reports began circulating in the media. "I don't know what that's about," Johnson[ said](https://x.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/2091561014210769205) on Fox News. "I know Jared has interests and lots of other things going on. He's not really directly involved in the admin, at least in the day-to-day in the White House." Johnson, however, remained confident that Republicans could retain control of the House. “I’m telling you what, you better not bet against the House Republicans,” he said.  Jared Kushner, left, and Steve Witkoff, Special Envoy for Peace Missions listen as Vice President JD Vance speaks during a news conference after meeting with representatives from Pakistan and Iran, April 12, 2026 in Islamabad, Pakistan. Jacquelyn Martin––Pool/Getty Images Trump has met with the top Democratic leaders of the House and Senate[ only once since returning to office](https://time.com/7321745/government-shutdown-trump-meeting-democrats/), when the President attempted last year to reach an agreement to prevent a government shutdown. Those talks ultimately failed, leading to the[ longest government shutdown](https://time.com/article/2026/04/30/dhs-shutdown-funding-bill-house-vote/) in U.S. history. The relationship between Trump, Jeffries, and other members of the Democratic leadership has often been marked by conflict and back-and-forth name-calling. In late April, Trump[ called](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116442964943642737) Jeffries a “low IQ person” and attacked Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer over their opposition to the [Iran war](https://time.com/article/2026/08/20/iran-hits-back-at-trump-s-threat-of-a-crushing-economic-d-day-campaign/), branding them “traitor Democrats.” Jeffries, in turn,[ called](https://youtu.be/ti4peFCHQHQ?t=59) Trump the “dumbest President ever” in response to the President’s insults during a press conference. Trump has continued to attack the top House Democrat as[ "low IQ"](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116513086831283231) and a[ "thug”](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116502796687355089) branding him as a “danger” to the country. More recently, however, Trump’s tone toward Jeffries appears to have softened. In an interview earlier this month with Punchbowl News, the President said he could work with the Democratic leader and described him as a "nice guy." "People are harsh on me. I'm harsh on them. It's part of the world," Trump[ said](https://youtu.be/T9omos50y8k?t=1446). "I'd probably get along with him very well." Since returning to the White House, Trump has often sought to bypass Congress and pursue policy through executive action, from curbing[ birthright citizenship](https://time.com/article/2026/08/07/trump-executive-orders-birth-tourism-birthright-citizenship/) to the[ implementation of tariffs](https://time.com/article/2026/08/21/beef-prices-trump-deal-tariffs/). That dynamic could change if Democrats take control of the House, where Republicans currently hold a[ slim majority](https://pressgallery.house.gov/member-data/party-breakdown) of 218 Republicans to 212 Democrats and one independent. A Democratic-controlled House would give the party the power to block parts of Trump’s legislative agenda, launch high-profile congressional investigations, issue subpoenas, and initiate impeachment proceedings. Trump—who was[ impeached twice](https://time.com/5928988/donald-trump-impeached-second-time/) during his first term—has urged voters to back Republicans in the midterms, arguing that Democrats would use their power to impeach him again. “I’m going to be impeached. They're going to impeach me. They have no idea why,” he[ told](https://youtu.be/BFj66Ynihok?t=4466) a crowd during a rally in South Carolina last Friday. The latest[ Emerson College polling](https://emersoncollegepolling.com/august-2026-national-poll/), released August 20, found congressional Democrats leading Republicans by nearly 8 points. A separate Reuters/Ipsos [poll](https://www.reuters.com/data/trumps-approval-rating-2025-01-21/) released Aug. 17 found Democrats ahead by 5 points. 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