Jeffries Rejects Medicare for All and DSA Agenda

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., stated on Sunday that he does not support Medicare for All or the agenda of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). He emphasized that Democrats should focus on making healthcare more affordable as they aim to regain control of the House in November after progressive primary victories.

During an interview on “Meet the Press,” host Kristen Welker asked Jeffries if he personally backed Medicare for All. Jeffries responded, “No, I haven’t cosponsored the Medicare for All legislation introduced over the years. I believe we need to fix our broken healthcare system and then improve it.”

Jeffries clarified that as the Democratic leader in the House, he does not support the legislation. However, he reiterated his goal of making healthcare accessible to every American.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., expressed his opposition to Medicare for All and distanced from the Democratic Socialists of America’s agenda. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Congressional records show that Jeffries co-sponsored the Medicare for All Act in 2019 and the 2021 version. However, he was not listed among the 102 cosponsors when Reps. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., and Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., introduced H.R. 3069 in April 2025.

The NYC DSA Healthcare Working Group credited its campaign for securing Jeffries’ support in 2019, though they noted his position was tempered by his backing of Medicare X, a public-option bill.

The DSA’s “Workers Deserve More!” program advocates for universal healthcare, abolishing ICE and the Senate, restructuring the presidency and Supreme Court, and redirecting police funding as steps toward abolishing police and prisons.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., disagreed with Jeffries, calling Medicare for All “arguably the most important priority.” (REUTERS/Ammar Awad)

When asked if democratic socialists should be included in the Democratic Party, Jeffries dismissed the DSA platform while acknowledging that primary-winning candidates would be part of a diverse caucus. “You’re going to have individual members who win Democratic primaries. If they win in November, they will join the House Democratic Caucus. It will be a wide-ranging caucus, including progressives, New Dems, and Blue Dogs,” he explained.

Seven incumbent House Democrats have lost primaries, including Jeffries-backed Reps. Dan Goldman and Adriano Espaillat to DSA-affiliated candidates Brad Lander and Darializa Avila Chevalier in New York. The DSA previously took credit for pressuring Jeffries to support Medicare for All in 2019. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Top Democrats have criticized socialists within the party, labeling them “anti-American” as they grow in influence. Jeffries’ stance contrasts with Khanna’s, who calls for a House vote on Medicare for All if Democrats regain the majority. “Medicare for All is a top priority,” Khanna said, referring to a Yale analysis estimating a single-payer system could reduce national health expenditures from $5.28 trillion to $4.24 trillion annually.

Mehdi Hasan, a former MS-NOW host, criticized Jeffries on Sunday, accusing him of being out of touch with his party. Hasan tweeted, “A reminder that most Democrats support Medicare for All. Why is he their leader?”

Fox News Digital reached out to the DSA for comment but did not receive a response. CJ Womack is an associate editor at Fox News, known for his expertise in analyzing news media’s role in politics and culture. CJ graduated from Long Beach State University in 2025 with degrees in Political Science and Journalism.