House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries met privately with Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law and special envoy for peace, to explore areas of potential collaboration, according to reports on Sunday.
The New York City meeting, arranged by a mutual friend, covered immigration, housing and cost-of-living issues. Kushner reportedly suggested Jeffries next meet with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles. The two have maintained contact since working together on criminal justice reform during Trump's first term. Jeffries, who could become House speaker if Democrats win a majority in November's midterm elections, did not mention the conversation directly but called on Republicans to abandon what he described as a counterproductive all-or-nothing approach.
The encounter drew mixed reactions. House Speaker Mike Johnson warned Kushner not to hedge his bets against the Republican caucus, while former Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger questioned the meeting publicly. The meeting also follows a House Judiciary Committee investigation into Kushner's financial dealings with Gulf nations.