Hakeem Jeffries meeting with Jared Kushner sparks backlash amongst Democrats ahead of midterm elections – US politics live

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries has faced backlash from within his own party and from critics of Donald Trump over a reported meeting with Jared Kushner, the former president's son-in-law. The controversy arises as Democrats prepare for the November midterm elections, where they are favored to retake the House. If successful, Jeffries would likely become speaker and lead efforts to investigate the Trump administration, including alleged self-enrichment by the president and his family. Concerns have long surrounded Kushner's continued financial dealings with foreign nations while engaging in foreign affairs, particularly in regions like Ukraine, Iran, and Gaza. Tommy Vietor, a former aide to President Barack Obama and co-host of the podcast "Pod Save America," expressed strong disapproval, stating that Kushner "has no actual government job he just uses his family connections to get money from gulf autocrats and fund corrupt deals." Vietor argued that any interaction with Kushner should involve demands for documents and subpoenas. Senator Chris van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat, offered a more measured response, saying he was "in favor of people meeting with whoever they want to discuss ideas." However, he added, "It's one thing to have a meeting. It's another thing to see something real come out of that." Former Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger, an outspoken Trump critic who served on the House committee investigating the Capitol attack, publicly questioned the meeting's logic by posting "Make this make sense," while tagging Jeffries.

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Throughout this Congress, Republicans have adopted a my-way-or-the-highway approach to governing that has failed the American people. 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.