House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) recently sat for a private meeting with Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of President Donald Trump who serves as one of his leading advisers.
The two discussed potential areas of common ground between Democrats and the Trump Administration with the midterms, according to a report from the New York Times. The meeting took place in a private space in New York City that was provided by a mutual friend of the two men, five people with knowledge of the meeting told the outlet on the condition of anonymity.
Neither Jeffries nor Kushner have publicly commented on the meeting as of this report.
One person familiar with the session characterized it as a broad conversation covering a range of topics, while another described it as a “catch-up” between the two. Multiple accounts, including those reported by CNN and confirmed by sources familiar with the matter, indicated that the discussion included immigration, housing, and the cost of living as potential areas where the administration and House Democrats might find overlap.
The timing of the meeting comes ahead of the midterm elections, in which Democrats are heavily favored to regain control of the House given polling averages and historical precedence. In that scenario, Jeffries is currently seen as the favorite to become House Speaker, though multiple far-left lawmakers have refused to commit to supporting him.
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Hakeem Jeffries and Jared Kushner Meet Privately Per NYT
(They discussed how Democrats and the administration could work together) pic.twitter.com/WcC4ybSpFQ
— OSZ (@OpenSourceZone) August 23, 2026
The New York Times noted that the session underscored awareness among those around President Trump of the prospect of a Democratic-led House and an interest in establishing working relationships in advance of any shift in control.
Jeffries and Kushner had previously collaborated during Trump’s first term. They worked together on criminal justice legislation that became known as the First Step Act, a bipartisan measure enacted in 2018 that aimed to reduce the federal prison population in part by adjusting mandatory minimum sentencing for certain offenses. The two men have remained in contact since that period.
During the recent meeting, Kushner suggested that Jeffries meet with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. This detail was reported by The New York Times and corroborated by sources speaking to CNN and other outlets.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) commented on the reported meeting in an appearance on Fox News. He said he did not know the details and described Kushner as someone with interests in various matters who is “not really directly involved in the admin, at least in the day-to-day in the White House.”
