Jeffries calls appointment of hardliner Miller a 'terrible choice'

Predicts 'overwhelming' support for Hegseth impeachment vote Tuesday

House Democratic Floor Leader Hakeem Jeffries, center, the frontrunner to become the next House speaker, said Sunday (local time) he would not cooperate with Steven Miller, Donald Trump's newly named White House chief of staff. Miller, who designed the Trump administration's hardline anti-immigration policies, is considered one of the most uncompromising figures in the administration. [Reuters]
House Democratic Floor Leader Hakeem Jeffries, center, the frontrunner to become the next House speaker, said Sunday (local time) he would not cooperate with Steven Miller, Donald Trump's newly named White House chief of staff. Miller, who designed the Trump administration's hardline anti-immigration policies, is considered one of the most uncompromising figures in the administration. [Reuters]

House Democratic Floor Leader Hakeem Jeffries, widely seen as the frontrunner to become the next House speaker, said Sunday (local time) there would "clearly be no opportunity" to work with Steven Miller, Donald Trump's newly named White House chief of staff.

Speaking in an ABC interview that day, Jeffries called Trump's appointment a "terrible choice" and an "irresponsible decision," adding that he would "strongly fight back against the extremism" Miller and what he represents may continue to impose on the American people.

Jeffries said he had maintained dialogue with outgoing chief of staff Susie Wiles, but that "will not happen with this new chief of staff," because Miller, along with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and others, "clearly represents a truly harmful pattern in civic engagement, politics and governance."

Miller is a fervent supporter of Trump's "America First" agenda and designed the administration's coercive anti-immigration policies. Analysts say Trump's decision to elevate the hardliner — rather than moderate his stance after the midterm losses, which were partly attributed to the administration's uncompromising domestic policies on issues such as immigration — signals that Trump intends to press ahead with his most aggressive policies for the remainder of his term, with no effort to broaden his appeal to centrist voters.

The Democratic response reflects the party's clear intent to draw a firm line against engagement with senior administration officials and to confront the Trump administration head-on if necessary.

Jeffries also said Trump had not called him since the Democrats swept both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections held Tuesday. The gulf between a Democratic-controlled Congress and the Trump administration leaves little room for any expectation of cooperation. Jeffries did, however, leave the door open on working with Republican lawmakers, saying it remained to be seen "whether our colleagues on the other side of the aisle are willing to listen to the voices of the American people."

On the impeachment motion against Defense Secretary Hegseth — which is expected to come to a vote after lawmakers return from the midterm recess next week — Jeffries said he "strongly supports" it, saying Hegseth had abused his power, undermined national security and led a reckless and costly war against Iran.

"When we reconvene Tuesday morning, we will certainly be having that conversation," Jeffries said, predicting there would be "overwhelmingly strong support" for the impeachment motion.


kate01@heraldcorp.com