House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Sunday that impeaching President Trump would not be a focus for Democrats if they recapture the House majority in the 2026 midterm elections.
Asked directly whether impeachment would be a top priority under a Democratic-led House, Jeffries replied, "Of course not," during an appearance on Fox News Sunday.
The statement represents a notable effort by Democratic leadership to steer the party away from impeachment as a campaign issue, signaling that the caucus intends to center its electoral strategy on other concerns heading into the midterms.
Jeffries has previously made similar remarks, according to The Hill, which first reported the comments. The minority leader has sought to project a message of governance-focused opposition rather than one built around direct confrontation with the president through the impeachment process.
The remarks come as Democrats work to define their platform ahead of a midterm cycle that will determine control of both chambers of Congress. The party currently holds minority status in the House and has positioned itself as a check on the Trump administration through legislative and procedural means rather than through impeachment proceedings.
Impeachment has been a politically divisive tool in recent years. Trump was impeached twice during his first term - once in 2019 over his dealings with Ukraine and again in 2021 following the January 6 Capitol riot - but was acquitted by the Senate both times. The proceedings energized parts of the Democratic base but also drew criticism from centrist voters who viewed them as politically motivated.
By publicly ruling out impeachment as a leading objective, Jeffries appears to be making a deliberate appeal to moderate and independent voters who may be skeptical of what critics have previously characterized as an overuse of the impeachment process.
No further details about the specific policy priorities Democrats plan to emphasize were included in the source reporting. The midterm elections are scheduled for November 2026.
