First posted on Instagram
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries has said he will not work with Stephen Miller, President Donald Trump’s new White House chief of staff, calling Miller a “stone-cold racist” and saying he has “zero interest in working with that kind of individual.”
“Stephen Miller is a stone-cold racist. His track record speaks for itself, and I’ve got zero interest in working with that kind of individual,” Jeffries said, according to Punchbowl News, which first reported the remarks on Monday, November 9.
Miller was named White House chief of staff on Friday, November 6, replacing Susie Wiles, and stepped into the role on Monday. He is a longtime Trump adviser and the architect of the administration’s immigration crackdown, including its mass deportation campaign.
Jeffries, who is expected to become Speaker of the House in January after Democrats won the chamber in the November 3 midterms, had already attacked Miller over the weekend. On ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday, November 8, he called Miller a “dangerous xenophobe” and a “reckless extremist,” and said Miller had “American blood on his hands” over the deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, who died in confrontations with immigration agents in Minnesota. He said Miller’s presence in government “should be eradicated like a malignant tumor” and added: “Fire him today.”
On CBS Mornings, Jeffries said Democrats were willing to work with the administration “to the extent that they are willing to do things that make life more affordable for the American people,” but drew the line at Miller. He also said no discussion had taken place with Trump about immigration negotiations.
The clash sets up a difficult start to the relationship between the White House and the incoming Democratic House majority. Democrats are preparing to take control of both chambers in January, and Jeffries is the leading candidate for Speaker, with leadership elections due to begin soon; his party needs 218 votes to elect him. Rep. Robert Garcia of California, in line to chair the House Oversight Committee, has already included Miller on a list of administration figures Democrats plan to investigate.