After Democrats’ sweeping midterm victory, Hakeem Jeffries faces a challenge that could define his expected speakership: whether to work with President Donald Trump or confront him at every turn.

Trump says he wants to cooperate with Democrats, who could secure as many as 260 House seats. But his appointment of Stephen Miller as White House chief of staff immediately tested that proposition. Jeffries called Miller a “dangerous xenophobe and reckless extremist,” underscoring the hostility between the two camps.

Within the Democratic caucus, lawmakers are weighing competing strategies. Some, particularly newly elected members from traditionally Republican districts, want to pursue agreements that lower living costs before the 2028 elections. Many progressives favor passing their own bills and challenging Trump to sign or veto them, while using the House’s subpoena powers to investigate his administration and allies.

Jeffries has left room for both approaches. On Wednesday, he said Democrats were “ready, willing, and able” to find bipartisan common ground if it produces meaningful change, beginning with the affordability crisis. Yet he said in an ABC News interview that he had not spoken with Trump as of Sunday morning.

Rep. Greg Meeks of New York, a longtime Jeffries confidant, said the Democratic leader has always been willing to negotiate. Rep. Greg Stanton of Arizona, a centrist, said Democrats would need to meet Republicans halfway without compromising their values.

Progressives, meanwhile, want to put the president on the spot. Rep.-elect William Lawrence of Michigan said Democrats should send Trump bills to lower costs and end the war, then press him to act.

The choice will become more urgent as spending deadlines approach, including a Dec. 11 fight over funding for the Iran war. Congress also must address the debt limit, with a potential default projected between next summer and early 2028.

History offers a mixed guide. During Nancy Pelosi’s speakership, Democrats and Trump agreed to raise the debt ceiling in July 2019, but hundreds of House bills stalled in the Republican-controlled Senate or at the president’s desk.

Trump’s own conduct will shape the next chapter, said Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado. Democrats, he said, remain willing to discuss policies that improve Americans’ lives—if the administration is willing to engage.