Jeffries Says DSA Members Will Be Part of Democrats’ ‘Broad Caucus’

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said Sunday that members of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) who win elections this November would be welcomed into the House Democratic caucus, describing the party as a “broad caucus.”

Appearing on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Jeffries was pressed by host Kristen Welker on whether Democratic Socialists belong in the Democratic Party. While he distanced himself from the DSA’s agenda, he made clear there is room for its members under the party’s tent.

“I don’t support the DSA agenda, as has been articulated, by the DSA itself,” Jeffries said. “Now you’re going to have individual members, who have been elected in Democratic primaries and if they are elected in the general in November, will be part of the House Democratic caucus. It’s going to be a broad caucus.”

The remarks come as the Democratic Party continues to grapple with its internal ideological divides, with progressive and moderate wings often at odds over policy priorities. Jeffries sought to draw clear lines on several controversial issues that have animated those debates.

“I do not support defunding the police. I do not support open borders. I do not support abolishing the Senate,” he said, responding to Welker’s question about whether DSA members belong in the party. He then pivoted to what he framed as the party’s core focus: “We’re focused on actually solving problems that hardworking American taxpayers want us to solve, which is to lower the high cost of living in a situation where life is far too expensive in this country. That’s the democratic agenda.”

Jeffries’ comments underscore the balancing act facing Democratic leadership as they seek to maintain a coalition that spans from centrist to socialist-leaning lawmakers. The DSA has gained influence in recent years, with several of its endorsed candidates winning Democratic primaries, including “Squad” members in the House.

Welker’s questioning reflected the broader political debate over the party’s direction, particularly as Republicans seek to paint Democrats as beholden to far-left policies. Jeffries’ response aimed to reassure general-election voters while signaling a willingness to work with DSA-aligned lawmakers should they win in November.

Political analysts note that Jeffries’ position is not new for Democratic leaders, who have historically avoided purging the party’s left flank. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) similarly resisted calls to exclude progressive members, even as she clashed with them on policy.

The DSA itself has taken positions that go beyond the mainstream Democratic platform, including support for Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, and defunding the police in some chapters. Jeffries, however, did not call for excluding DSA members from the caucus, instead emphasizing the party’s pragmatic goals.

“We’re focused on actually solving problems,” he reiterated, casting the party’s agenda as one centered on economic concerns affecting everyday Americans.

The interview is likely to draw attention from both progressives, who may see Jeffries’ comments as an implicit endorsement of DSA presence in the party, and moderates, who may worry about the party’s image heading into the midterms. Republicans were quick to seize on the remarks, with some conservative commentators arguing that Jeffries’ “broad caucus” stance confirms the party’s leftward drift.

For now, Jeffries’ message is one of inclusion, even as he draws a line at the DSA’s more radical proposals. Whether that balance holds after November remains to be seen.

Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2026/08/16/jeffries-democratic-socialists-of-america-will-be-part-of-our-broad-caucus/