Democratic Socialists of America advances radical agenda as Democratic leaders wrestle with its growing influence

President Donald J. Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Speaker Mike Johnson have each called the Democratic Socialists of America and its primary candidates communists, while a DSA National Political Committee member cited a 2023 remark that the group’s goal is communism. The DSA’s platform calls for a 32‑hour work week with full pay, universal health care, publicly owned housing, an end to mass incarceration, the abolition of private property and the creation of a democratic socialist republic, as well as a sweeping overhaul of U.S. foreign policy. Recent primary victories, including a Senate seat in Michigan and upsets in Florida and Georgia, have prompted some prospective 2028 Democratic presidential contenders such as Senator Chris Van Hollen and Governor Gavin Newsom to signal openness to DSA endorsement, while House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries says he does not back the DSA agenda.