House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries declared that Congress must move swiftly to address the escalating dangers posed by artificial intelligence, emphasizing the need for immediate regulatory measures. Speaking on ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos,” the New York Democrat argued that lawmakers should take decisive steps now to moderate the speed of AI development.
Jeffries stated that the goal is to ensure the technology proceeds safely and protects the American public, noting that even some technology CEOs have recently acknowledged the need to slow their pace of innovation. His comments follow stark warnings issued by Jacob Coxon, a former researcher at Anthropic, who claimed on social media that industry insiders believe AI could lead to human extinction by the end of the decade.
The House Democratic caucus is scheduled to convene on Tuesday, where AI policy will be a top priority on the agenda. Jeffries defended his recent private meeting with Jared Kushner, stating that engaging with political opponents is sometimes necessary, despite scrutiny from progressive factions within his party.
During the same interview, Jeffries also dismissed President Donald Trump’s recent pledge to distribute $5,000 to every American if Republicans regain control of Congress in the November midterms. He characterized the proposal as insincere, pointing out that Trump has previously failed to deliver on promises to reduce costs, which have instead risen under his administration.
Jeffries countered by suggesting that a Democratic victory would result in what he termed a “Trump dividend,” offering $5,000 to every adult citizen. He further criticized Trump’s convention remarks urging voters to “pretend” the president is on the ballot, asserting that the economy, the cost of living crisis, and U.S. involvement in the Middle East are already central issues in the election.
When pressed by Stephanopoulos on whether he could secure the speakership if Democrats win the House, Jeffries maintained that the caucus remains singularly focused on taking back majority control to tackle inflation, housing costs, and healthcare affordability while holding officials accountable for corruption.
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