US President Donald Trump suffered a severe defeat in the midterm elections, after the Democrats seized control of the House of Representatives and the Senate, thereby putting an end to Republican dominance of Congress. This result represents an important shift in the balance of power in Washington, and a political challenge for Trump during the remainder of his second term.
The loss was not just a decline in the number of seats, but rather came in elections that practically turned into a referendum on the president’s performance and policies, especially in light of the high costs of living, the economic repercussions of the war with Iran, and the controversy over customs duties, in addition to criticism related to government management and conflicts of interest.
This electoral defeat is of particular importance as Democrats were able to achieve electoral breakthroughs in states that are traditionally Republican strongholds, including Texas, Kansas, and South Carolina. A number of candidates who received direct support from Trump also lost.
How will Trump deal with defeat?
Early indications of President Trump's reaction suggest that he accepts the outcome, albeit reluctantly. Therefore, it does not seem that he will challenge its legitimacy. In his first comment on the preliminary results, the president distanced himself from bearing direct political responsibility for the losses suffered by his party. As soon as the general features of the extent of the Democrats’ sweep of the seats in both chambers became clear, the president published a tweet on the Truth Social platform, in which he claimed that the Republicans would have achieved a major victory if his name had been included on the ballot paper, and directed criticism at the candidates who lost their seats, instead of considering the result a direct rejection of his policies.
Commentators believe that Trump, in the new political landscape, will attempt to adopt a dual strategy that combines political and media escalation against the Democrats on the one hand, and preserving the cohesion of the Republican Party on the other hand. But this mission may clash with the possibility of escalating criticism within his party regarding his political choices, his management style in political battles, and the decline in his popularity among voters.
Is this the beginning of a new political battle?
Dealing with the House of Representatives and the Senate, which have become under the absolute control of the Democratic opposition, will be the biggest challenges facing Trump today.
The House of Representatives may not delay in opening broad parliamentary investigations into the president’s decisions, examining the financial and commercial files of him and his family, and using parliamentary oversight powers to investigate the performance of his administration. The idea of impeaching the president may return to political debate, although impeachment does not automatically mean dismissal, because his conviction requires the approval of two-thirds of the members of the Senate.
The matter will not be different in the Senate, where the Democratic majority will wave its stick against the approval of judicial and administrative appointments, which may hinder the president’s attempts to strengthen his influence within federal institutions.
Will the president change some of his policies?
Internally: The president may have to reconsider some of the economic policies that raised concerns about rising prices, while trying to introduce measures that ease the burdens on Americans. He may be tough in confronting the Democrats and choose confrontation instead of compromise, taking advantage of his executive powers, especially in the files of immigration, trade, and foreign policy. He may search for political settlements and rely on negotiations with Democrats to pass budgets and avoid a government shutdown, especially since Congress has primary authority to approve federal spending.
Externally, some believe that the electoral defeat may not lead to a radical change in Trump’s policies towards Iran, China, or Ukraine, but it may increase parliamentary pressure on his administration regarding financing military operations and international commitments.
President Trump will continue to enjoy all his powers despite losing the majority supporting him in Congress, but he has lost one of the most important elements of power provided by a parliamentary majority supporting him in all his decisions over the past two years. Some believe that the president will enter a period of intense political tension when Democrats begin trying to restrict his agenda and hold his administration accountable, but he will work to protect his political legacy and place responsibility for the obstruction on his opponents.
