WASHINGTON — House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Sunday he no longer supports Medicare for All and does not back the agenda of the Democratic Socialists of America, drawing a clear line between himself and the progressive wing of his party as Democrats push to win back the House majority in the November midterms.
Appearing on NBC News' Meet the Press with host Kristen Welker, Jeffries confirmed he had dropped his co-sponsorship of the single-payer health care proposal. "It's not legislation that I currently am cosponsoring or that I support," he said. The reversal is notable because Jeffries had backed the bill before rising to the party's top House leadership post.
On the DSA, Jeffries did not equivocate. "I don't support the DSA agenda as has been articulated by the DSA itself," he told Welker. He described the Democratic caucus as a broad coalition—encompassing progressives, moderates and Blue Dog Democrats—but drew a firm distinction between welcoming members elected in Democratic primaries and endorsing the DSA's policy platform, which spans positions on policing, immigration and the Senate filibuster.
The remarks landed one day after Democratic National Committee members voted on dueling resolutions about Immigration and Customs Enforcement. DNC delegates backed a resolution urging Democratic lawmakers to pass legislation dissolving ICE, though a separate reform-focused measure passed by a larger margin. DNC chair Ken Martin was present for both votes.
Jeffries rejected the abolish-ICE position directly. "Immigrant enforcement in this country should be fair, just and humane," he said. "And clearly ICE is completely out of control." Rather than elimination, he said Democrats are "committed to dramatically reforming" the agency.
Earlier this year, Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer released a joint list of proposed changes to ICE operations. The proposals include banning face coverings for immigration agents, requiring visible identification badges, restricting enforcement actions near schools and churches, expanding body-camera requirements and imposing additional use-of-force standards.
On the economy, Jeffries framed the party's midterm message around cost of living. He cited groceries, gas, housing and healthcare as the top priorities, and said too many families are working hard but "can barely survive." "The American people want us to focus on driving down the high cost of living," he said.
Jeffries predicted Democrats will reclaim the House majority and set a specific threshold: the caucus is targeting at least 218 seats, the number required for a majority. He said a Democratic-controlled Congress would prioritize making life "more affordable" for Americans.
The interview reflects the fault lines running through the Democratic Party during a primary season in which several incumbent lawmakers have lost to more progressive challengers. Medicare for All remains the signature health care demand of the progressive wing, championed most prominently by independent Sen. Bernie Sanders. The DSA has backed a number of those primary challengers and won in select races, raising questions about how Jeffries would manage an increasingly ideologically diverse caucus if Democrats flip the chamber.
Jeffries answered that question directly: DSA-affiliated members elected in Democratic primaries will be part of the caucus, but the caucus leader does not share their organization's stated agenda. The distinction separates the electoral arithmetic—Democrats need every seat they can get—from the policy program Jeffries intends to pursue as speaker if the party reaches 218.
