President Donald Trump said in an interview with Punchbowl News that he would “probably get along” very well with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries if Democrats win back the House in the 2026 midterms, a striking comment given their history of bitter public exchanges.
When asked whether he could do business with Jeffries, Trump responded positively. “I’d probably get along with him very well,” Trump told the outlet, adding that he considers Jeffries “a nice guy.”
Trump recalled meeting Jeffries at the White House in 2025, saying, “He was here. We had a good meeting.” The president acknowledged that Jeffries has criticized him in the past but attributed the Democratic leader’s harsh rhetoric to Trump’s own attacks on him.
“When pressed on Jeffries’s past criticisms and attacks on him, Trump said the New York Democrat is ‘harsh because I’m harsh on him,'” according to The Hill. Trump has previously called Jeffries a “low I.Q. individual” and urged Republicans to remove him from office, while Jeffries has fired back with pointed criticism of Trump’s policies and rhetoric.
Jeffries is in line to make history as the first Black House speaker in U.S. history if Democrats retake the chamber. The Democratic leader was elected to his position in November 2022, becoming the first African American to lead a major party in either chamber of Congress.
Trump’s comments come as Democrats lead Republicans on the generic congressional ballot ahead of the November midterms. A CNN poll released last week showed Democrats leading by 8 points, according to The Hill. Broader polling averages also show Democrats with an advantage, with some surveys indicating a 6- to 7-point Democratic lead.
The political landscape has shifted significantly since Trump left office in January 2021. The president is now weighing how to work with potential Democratic leadership should his party lose control of the House. His willingness to express optimism about a working relationship with Jeffries signals a pragmatic approach to divided government, even as the two have clashed repeatedly on major policy issues including Trump’s Middle East military engagement and immigration enforcement.
Sources
- The Hill — Trump’s statement that he would “probably get along” with Jeffries, details of their White House meeting in 2025, Trump’s past criticisms of Jeffries, CNN poll showing 8-point Democratic lead on generic ballot
- The Washington Post — Trump’s comments on getting along with Jeffries and Jeffries’ potential to become the first Black House speaker
- Punchbowl News — Original interview with Trump about his potential working relationship with Jeffries
