Johnson Says Kushner 'Hedges Bets' Amid Reported Jeffries-Kushner Meeting
Mike Johnson said Jared Kushner "hedges bets" after reports of a private meeting with Hakeem Jeffries.
House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed skepticism about Jared Kushner's intentions after a reported private meeting with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Johnson made the remark during an interview on Fox News, responding to a New York Times report about the meeting. He said, "Jared is a smart guy and he hedges bets, but I'm telling you what, you better not bet against the House Republicans."
The Louisiana Republican added that he believes Republicans will retain control of the House despite expectations of a Democratic takeover in the November midterm elections.
Johnson did not delve into the substance of the meeting, instead focusing on the political outlook for Republicans. He described the midterms as a "contrast election" and predicted that Republicans would maintain their majority. The reported meeting comes amid growing expectations that Democrats could regain control of the House, potentially making Jeffries the next Speaker of the House. Recent polling, prediction markets, and Democratic gains in special elections have fueled these expectations.
The meeting has drawn criticism from some Democrats and Trump critics, with former Obama aide Tommy Vietor suggesting that Jeffries should only work with Kushner when seeking documents and subpoenas. Former GOP Representative Adam Kinzinger also expressed skepticism, stating that he believes the Trump administration may have intentionally leaked news of the meeting.
However, Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat, appeared more measured in his response, saying that he supports people meeting to discuss ideas but emphasized the importance of seeing tangible results from those conversations.
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