Nia-Malika Henderson, Columnist

Hakeem Jeffries Finally Breaks Through

Democrats’ House leader took a symbolic stand against the tax bill in an effort to convince voters, and members of his own party, that he’s a fighter.

July 4, 2025 at 11:00 AM UTC

By Nia-Malika Henderson

Nia-Malika Henderson is a politics and policy columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. A former senior political reporter for CNN and the Washington Post, she has covered politics and campaigns for almost two decades.

A made for TV moment.
Photographer: Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg

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There was one big surprise as President Donald Trump’s massive and transformational tax bill made its way through the House and eventually to his desk for signing. It wasn’t that the conservative hardliners folded, proving once again that they always chicken out after a spirited airing of grievances on cable news.

It was Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.