Updated November 6, 2026 at 9:31 AM CST
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the New York Democrat who is poised to become the next Speaker of the House, says his party will push to end the war in Iran and hold Trump administration officials accountable after its midterm victories. But how far Democrats will go remains unclear.
Speaking with Morning Edition on Friday, Jeffries called the conflict a "war of choice" that "has skyrocketed gas prices, diesel prices and fertilizer prices," raising the cost of everyday goods.
He said Democrats "shouldn't have to wait" for the new Congress to act.
But with majorities in both chambers, Jeffries said Democrats could pass a war powers resolution to try and force President Trump to end the war. If passed, it would present President Trump with the choice to either sign or veto it. Overriding a veto would require two-thirds majorities in both chambers. As of now, Democrats are short of a veto-proof majority in both chambers.
Jeffries stopped short of supporting impeachment proceedings against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky has threatened to force a House vote on eight articles of impeachment unless Hegseth resigns.
"We'll have that conversation," Jeffries said, calling Hegseth "the most unqualified secretary of defense in American history."
Asked directly whether Hegseth should be impeached, Jeffries said, "I don't want to get out ahead of the caucus."
"He's got to go," he added.
Jeffries said the House Judiciary and Oversight committees would investigate alleged wrongdoing by the Trump administration.
Asked about voters calling for new Democratic leadership, including the next House speaker, Jeffries said the decision rests with the House Democratic Caucus. He defended Democrats' record, saying they had "battled Trump on every issue up until this point and then just decisively defeated him a few days ago."
Listen to the full interview using the blue button above, or read the transcript below, lightly edited for length and clarity.
Leila Fadel: The person expected to be the next House Speaker and its first Black Speaker is the current House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and he joins me now to talk about what that will look like. So your party has a real mandate here in Congress, and it comes with expectations from voters that you'll make life more affordable. What is at the top of your agenda if you're elected House Speaker?
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries: Well, it was a tremendous victory for the American people and a strong rebuke of MAGA extremism, which has made life more expensive for everyday Americans. Despite their promises to lower the high cost of living on day one. There are several steps that we can take to create a more comfortable way of life for the American people, including ending the war of choice in Iran, which has skyrocketed gas prices, diesel prices, and fertilizer prices, and as a result, increased the cost of groceries and everyday goods on the American people.
Leila Fadel: How will you know?
Jeffries: Well, we shouldn't have to wait till the new Congress until that happens. The American people have clearly spoken. Even the Vice President has expressed an understanding that it's time to end the war, or Republicans will continue to pay electoral consequences in that regard, but in the majority, having both the House and the Senate, we can advance strong war powers resolutions that the president will have to take up, get it to his desk, and then explain himself to the American people if, in fact, he decides to use his veto pen.
Fadel: Do you think he'll be willing to work with you on this? I mean, he's given some mixed messages, saying I'm ready to work with the Democrats, but I'll also be "Mr. Veto."
Jeffries: I think it's incredibly important, and that we all listen to what has been expressed by the American people throughout this campaign. We promised that we were going to relentlessly fight for a more affordable America, work to drive down the high price of groceries and gas and housing, fight to make health care affordable for every single American, and at the same period of time hold the crooks accountable for all of the corruption that has been visited upon the American people. And there's an economic cost to corruption that clearly the American people have concluded Republicans have visited upon them. So hopefully, all of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, as a result of the roaring voices of the American people, will conclude that we should decisively act to make the lives of the American people affordable.
Fadel: I want to ask about a pressing matter. Republican Congressman and Trump critic Thomas Massie of Kentucky says he'll force a vote on the House floor of eight articles of impeachment against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth if he does not resign. Here's what Hegseth said in response in a video posted online:
"You see, their policies don't work, so their obsession with political theater disguised as power drives them to try to destroy their opponents. It's all about the politics of personal destruction. Didn't work against President Trump, and it won't work with me".
Will you and other Democrats vote to impeach if this happens?
Jeffries: We'll have that conversation. We'll have that conversation when we gather as a caucus immediately upon our return, but I've been very clear about my position with respect to Pete Hegseth. He's the most unqualified Secretary of Defense in American history. He should never have been confirmed by Senate Republicans, and we've seen all the damage that he's visited upon the American people, the world, and the Pentagon in terms of military readiness, and so I first called for Pete Hegseth to be fired by Donald Trump in the spring of 2025. I have not changed my position, and he should have resigned or been fired a long time ago. But certainly in the immediate aftermath of the stunning rebuke of MAGA extremism that the American people visited at the polls a few days ago,
Fadel: But is this the way? Should he be impeached?
Jeffries: Well, as I indicated, we'll have that conversation as a caucus together, and I don't want to get out ahead of the caucus, but I've been very strong and clear in my opinions as it relates to Pete Hegseth. He's got to go.
Fadel: You said yesterday that Americans don't want Democrats to get even; they want you to get things done on their behalf, specifically around affordability. Now, Congressman Robert Garcia, the incoming Oversight Committee Chair, struck a very different tone. He posted online, "Lawyer up," and laid out a plan that included investigating the Trump family for possible crimes in the next Congress. Are you on the same page when it comes to accountability?
Jeffries: Yeah. Well, we've repeatedly made clear over the last two years is that we've got to relentlessly make life more affordable for the American people, while at the same period of time, visit accountability on those who have been engaged in law breaking, norm breaking, and unleashing unprecedented corruption on the American people. And so, it's my expectation, and we're working closely, of course, with Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee and Democrats on the Oversight Committee, who will lead our accountability efforts, along with all of the relevant committees across the Congress, because the levels of corruption have been unprecedented, and we've made clear to the American people that if you have folks out there who have been stealing from the American people, shortchanging the American people, or screwing over the American people, we're going to hold the crooks accountable. We're going to function like a separate and co-equal branch of government, as opposed to, unfortunately, what my Republican colleagues have done is to bury their heads in the sand and be nothing more than a reckless rubber stamp for Donald Trump's extreme agenda. So we got to follow the facts. We got to apply the law. We got to be guided by the Constitution, and we have to deliver a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
Fadel: Now, your party had a historic win this week, but we were out across the country speaking to people, and at the same time as choosing your candidates, voters were expressing dissatisfaction with the party leadership, and what they saw as an inability to stand up to Trump meaningfully. In the last two years, they wanted new blood in the party. They said they want completely new leadership of the party. That includes for a future speaker of the House. What do you say to the voters who are skeptical of Democratic establishment leaders like yourself?
Jeffries: Well, we're going to put it into the hands of the House Democratic Caucus as we chart a path forward. But we've battled Trump on every issue up until this point, and then just decisively defeated him a few days ago.
The digital version was edited by Treye Green and Jason Breslow.
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