Hakeem Jeffries did not pause, soften the line, or leave room for doubt. Asked on 9 November whether Stephen Miller could be a workable partner for Democrats in the new Congress, the Democratic House leader gave a one-word answer โ โNoโ โ and then called President Donald Trumpโs new chief of staff a โstone cold racistโ.
โStephen Miller is a stone cold racist. His track record speaks for itself. And Iโve got zero interest in working with that kind of individual,โ Jeffries said at a news conference in Washington on 9 November.
It was the bluntest attack yet from the man expected to lead the House from January, and it set the tone for what could be a bruising stretch between a Democratic Congress and a White House that has just put one of its hardest-line figures at the centre of power.
A blunt answer, twice in two days
Jeffries had already made his position clear a day earlier. Appearing on ABCโs โThis Weekโ on 8 November, he said: โThereโs not going to be any opportunity, certainly, to work with Stephen Miller and what he represents.โ
The repeat mattered. Politicians often test a sharp line once, then walk it back when the cameras move on. Jeffries did the opposite. He used the same phrase on Sunday television and again at a Monday news conference, in front of reporters who could press him on it.
It also drew a line that will be hard to step back from. The chief of staff is the person who controls access to the president, sets the daily agenda, and decides which talks are worth having. By saying he will not work with Miller, Jeffries is saying, in effect, that the normal channel between the House and the White House is closed before it has even opened.
Why Jeffries used the words โstone cold racistโ
Miller is the leading architect of Trumpโs anti-immigration agenda, and his record is the reason Jeffries reached for such stark language. As a deputy chief of staff in Trumpโs second term, Miller backed mass deportations of immigrants in the country illegally and efforts to end birthright citizenship. He also pushed restrictions on travel from Muslim-majority countries and family separation policies at the southern border.
Democratic critics and civil rights groups have long accused Miller of being a white nationalist. They often point to emails showing he sent white nationalist material to the conservative website Breitbart ahead of the 2016 election. Those emails have followed Miller for a decade, and Jeffriesโ charge on 9 November put them back at the heart of the argument.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment on Jeffriesโ remarks. That silence left the charge standing on its own for a full news cycle, with no pushback from Miller or from Trumpโs team in the original report.
Jeffries has used the phrase before. He has previously called right-wing influencer Laura Loomer and former Trump strategist Steve Bannon a โstone cold racistโ too.
What the promotion tells us about Trumpโs next move
Trump promoted Miller last week to replace Susie Wiles as chief of staff, after a disastrous midterm election for Republicans in which Democrats won both chambers of Congress and flipped double-digit Republican House and Senate seats. Miller, known for his combative style and his loyalty to Trump, is not a peacemaker pick. Jeffriesโ โstone cold racistโ charge is aimed squarely at that record.
The promotion signals that the president has little interest in finding consensus with a new Democratic-controlled Congress. Instead of choosing a bridge-builder who might smooth talks on spending, immigration, or oversight, Trump chose the aide most closely tied to his toughest immigration policies. It reads as a decision to fight the next two years on his own terms, not to bargain.
Jeffries, the speaker-in-waiting
Jeffries, known as a political moderate, is expected to become the next speaker in the Democratic-controlled House โ and to make history as the nationโs first Black House speaker. It will not become official until a House vote on 3 January, but the path is clear.
Some progressive Democratic House members have not yet committed to support Jeffries for speaker. Even so, the New York congressman has never had a Democratic defection in a speaker vote, a record that has helped him hold a fractious caucus together. His attack on Miller fits that role: firm, public, and aimed at a figure few Democrats would defend. Calling Miller a โstone cold racistโ also plays to a base that wants confrontation, not compromise.
What happens next
Donโt expect a quiet patch-up. With Jeffries refusing to deal with Miller and Trump showing no sign of backing down, the first tests will come fast โ funding deadlines, immigration enforcement, and the oversight battles a new Democratic majority will want to run. Each one will need some contact between the two sides. If the chief of staff is off-limits to the likely speaker, those talks get harder, slower, and more public.
Conclusion
Jeffriesโ words were short, sharp, and deliberate. By calling Stephen Miller a โstone cold racistโ on two days running, he closed off the usual working relationship with the White House before it began, and he framed the coming Congress as a fight, not a negotiation. Trumpโs choice of Miller as chief of staff suggests the president sees it the same way.
Sources and Resources
Original reporting: USA Today โ Jeffries calls new WH chief of staff Stephen Miller a โstone cold racistโ by Joey Garrison, updated 9 November 2026.
Further reading: ABC News, โThis Weekโ, 8 November 2026 โ Jeffries interview; and our earlier report, Trump names Stephen Miller as White House chief of staff.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly did Hakeem Jeffries say about Stephen Miller?
Jeffries called Miller a โstone cold racistโ at a news conference on 9 November 2026, adding: โHis track record speaks for itself. And Iโve got zero interest in working with that kind of individual.โ
Why wonโt Jeffries work with Stephen Miller?
Jeffries pointed to Millerโs record as the architect of Trumpโs anti-immigration agenda, including mass deportations, efforts to end birthright citizenship, travel restrictions, and family separation policies. That record is why Jeffries used the words โstone cold racistโ.
Has Jeffries used the phrase โstone cold racistโ before?
Yes. He has previously used it to describe right-wing influencer Laura Loomer and former Trump strategist Steve Bannon.
When did Trump promote Stephen Miller to chief of staff?
Trump promoted Miller last week to replace Susie Wiles, after the midterm elections in which Democrats won both chambers of Congress.
Will Jeffries become House speaker?
He is expected to become the next speaker โ and the nationโs first Black House speaker โ but it will not be official until the House vote on 3 January.