Hakeem Jeffries launches bid for House Speaker, vows to end Trump tariffs

Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries announced his candidacy for Speaker of the U.S. House on Wednesday, pledging to eliminate President Donald Trump's trade tariffs. The announcement came one day after Democrats won control of both the House and Senate in midterm elections. In a letter to Democratic lawmakers, Jeffries outlined priorities for the new Congress taking office in January 2027, including reversing Trump's tariffs, restoring cuts to social programs like Medicaid and SNAP, extending Obamacare tax credits, and ending U.S. military action against Iran. He accused Republicans of failing to lower living costs for Americans. Jeffries also proposed expanding oversight of the Trump administration, banning congressional stock trading, and reforming the Supreme Court. However, implementing these measures may face White House resistance, as Trump has signaled he would veto legislation contrary to his policies. The House speaker election occurs in January.