Jeffries meets Kushner privately amid intense US midterm race

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a private meeting with Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law and a senior outside adviser. The meeting is seen as a signal that the White House is seeking to work with Democrats if they regain control of the House in the midterm elections.

According to initial reports published by the New York Times on November 30, the meeting took place as Democrats have a chance to win back a House majority, which would put Jeffries in line for the speakership. The newspaper described it as a high-level meeting aimed at finding "common ground" between the two parties.

The discussion reportedly covered issues ranging from housing and immigration to the cost-of-living crisis. Americans are struggling with rising prices due to inflation, which Democrats attribute to the Republican administration's failure to keep the situation under control.

In a statement on November 30, Jeffries did not directly mention the meeting but stressed that the Republican administration must abandon its "my way or the highway" approach that has "failed the American people." He said: "To stop this madness, we've made clear repeatedly that extreme approaches won't work and will be met with strong resistance. The question is whether Republicans will join us."

Kushner also suggested that Jeffries meet with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles as a follow-up. However, Jeffries' office and the White House had not issued official comments when contacted by Al Jazeera.

The meeting came during the final stretch of a tense midterm campaign. If Democrats regain the House, they are expected to use their oversight powers to aggressively investigate the Trump administration, including allegations that the president and his family have profited personally.

Current House Speaker Mike Johnson dismissed the meeting and downplayed Kushner's role, telling Fox News: "I don't know what that is. I know Jared is interested in a lot of other things going on." Johnson added that Kushner is "betting on a safe bet" and "is not really directly involved in the administration, at least in the day-to-day operations at the White House." He also asserted: "Don't bet against Republicans in the House," expressing confidence his party would win regardless of whether the war with Iran ends before November.

The meeting raised concerns among some who viewed it as Jeffries "caving to" one of Trump's closest associates. Tommy Vietor, a former aide to ex-President Barack Obama and co-host of the podcast Pod Save America, commented: "Jared Kushner holds no real government position; he just uses family connections to take money from Gulf dictators and finance corrupt deals. The only way Jeffries should work with him is to demand documents and subpoenas."

Mehdi Hasan, CEO of Zeteo, wrote on social media: "The only meeting Hakeem Jeffries should have with Jared Kushner is to tell him he'll be subpoenaed by the House for corruption investigations from day one of Democratic control. This is just pathetic from the House Democratic leader." William Kristol, a former interventionist turned leading voice of the "Never Trump" movement, also expressed confusion over the meeting.

During his time in Congress, Jeffries has been a vocal critic of Trump's aggressive foreign policy, particularly condemning the administration's "reckless war of choice" against Iran and its "failure to adequately prepare for the consequences of launching a war with Iran."

Analysts suggest the meeting reflects Republicans' deep concerns about losing their congressional majority, especially in the House, as well as the need to find common ground with the opposition while the White House seeks to stave off potential political fallout for the president.

Jeffries and Kushner are not strangers. They previously worked together during Trump's first term to pass a landmark law providing sentencing flexibility for certain drug offenses to reduce long prison terms in the federal system.

Although not close, they have maintained a professional working relationship despite Trump's repeated attacks on Jeffries. During Trump's second term, Kushner has wielded significant influence in the administration despite holding no formal title. He has served as a senior outside adviser and peace envoy, often undertaking diplomatic missions as America's war with Iran entered its sixth month.

Last week, Kushner traveled to the Middle East, meeting with Qatari, Turkish, and Egyptian mediators before heading to Tel Aviv to discuss with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the fate of a 15-point Gaza peace plan that Israel has rejected. Trump has met with Jeffries only once since returning to the White House. After that meeting, the president posted a deepfake image of Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Jeffries in sombreros and mustaches, widely viewed as racist.

Trump has so far been able to bypass Congress by relying on executive power or rallying Republican lawmakers behind his unilateral decisions. However, that could change if Democrats win control of either chamber, as lawmakers increasingly seek to assert Congress's role as a co-equal branch ready to scrutinize the White House more closely.