Inside Democrats' AI division

President Trump's embrace of artificial intelligence (AI) could be a political gift to Democrats. Instead, it's exposing a major split in the party. As the tech industry aligns with the White House, Democrats are weighing whether to lean into a populist message aimed at protecting workers, challenging tech billionaires and pushing back on data centers—or embrace a more innovation-friendly approach. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) is facing backlash in a letter from advocacy groups that say the leaders of a new House Democratic AI policy commission have deep ties to Big Tech. The co-chairs include Reps. Ted Lieu (D-CA), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), and Valerie Foushee (D-NC), who recently met with Rep Jeffries for the first time. "Going into the 2026 midterms, Democrats can and must present a vision for AI policy that breaks with President Trump's deregulatory vision," the Jan. 8 letter to Jeffries states. 11 groups signed the letter, including the Revolving Door Project, Center for Digital Democracy, and the Climate and Community Institute. An adviser to a House progressive told Maria that many Hill Democrats see AI and affordability as winning issues.