Congress Watch · Report · File No. 261108-216
Jeffries rules out working with new chief of staff Stephen Miller: 'not going to happen'
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said he won't deal with Stephen Miller, Trump's new White House chief of staff. That sets up hard fights over spending, immigration and oversight once Democrats take Congress in January.
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House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said Sunday that he will not work with Stephen Miller, President Donald Trump's newly named White House chief of staff. Asked whether he could keep up the regular contact he had with Miller's predecessor, Susie Wiles, Jeffries said: "It's not going to happen with the new chief of staff." 12
Jeffries spoke on ABC's "This Week" with host Jonathan Karl. Trump announced Friday that Miller, who had been deputy chief of staff for policy, would replace Wiles. 1
'An awful choice'
Jeffries did not hold back on the pick. He called it an awful choice and described Miller as the architect of what he characterized as Trump's violent mass deportation machine. 12
He accused Miller of helping steer policies that used "billions of taxpayer dollars to brutalize and kill American citizens, like Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good." Those are Jeffries' allegations, and Newsweek said it had asked the White House for comment. 1
From Channel GOPJeffries: House Democrats have taken back CongressHakeem Jeffries · 152 plays · captioned, with the source named
Jeffries did not shut the door on Trump himself. He told Karl he had not spoken with the president and would see how things develop. 2 Newsweek reported that Democrats could look for common ground with Trump, but Jeffries drew a firm line at Miller. 1
What Democrats say they want
Jeffries said the cost of living is "way too high." He listed ending the Iran war, stopping tariffs, reversing cuts to Medicaid and SNAP (the federal food aid program), and extending Affordable Care Act tax credits. 2
On oversight, he said Democrats are "committed to holding the crooks accountable." He deferred to Reps. Jamie Raskin and Robert Garcia on investigations and said he did not want to "get out ahead of any investigation." 2
Jeffries also said he is "a hard yes on the Hegseth resolution," referring to a push to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. He expects House Democrats to discuss it when Congress returns Tuesday. 2
What happens next
Republicans keep control of Congress through the lame-duck session, the stretch after an election before new members take office. Democrats take over their majorities in January. 1
Trump said a day before the election that he would be "Mr. Veto" if Democrats won Congress. Overriding a veto takes two-thirds of both the House and Senate. 1 Newsweek also reported that Trump has said he is open to deals with Democrats, in a 60 Minutes interview set to air Sunday night. 1
That matters because a chief of staff is usually the main channel between a president and Congress on budgets and deadlines. Jeffries says that channel is closed. Spending fights, immigration policy and investigations may now run through public statements and the president himself. That is analysis, not something either source reported.
Miller spoke Friday at Mar-a-Lago, Trump's Florida club, and pledged Trump his "absolute loyalty." 1 Jeffries said voters rejected MAGA extremism in the midterms and that the results created a firewall in both the House and the Senate. 1
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Sources
- Newsweek, “Jeffries Rules Out Working With Stephen Miller: 'Not Going to Happen'” (2026-11-08). newsweek.com/jeffries-rules-out-working-with-stephen-miller-
- ABC News, “'This Week' Transcript 11-8-26: House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed & Governor-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms” (2026-11-08). abcnews.com/Politics/week-transcript-11-8-26-house-democrati
Found an error? Tell the newsroom. Corrections are noted at the top of the story.
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Katie Miller stops recording podcast as husband Stephen Miller becomes chief of staff
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Trump tells CBS his deportation policy 'might be too tough' after midterm losses
In a 60 Minutes interview, the president said the crackdown 'both helped and hurt' him. Days earlier he put Stephen Miller, the policy's architect, in charge of his White House staff.
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