Democrats secured clear majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives in yesterday's US midterm elections, delivering a monumental rebuke to President Donald Trump, who now faces legislative gridlock and the prospect of multiple congressional investigations.
Trump had urged Americans to pretend they were voting for him, but voters instead handed the Democrats control of Congress. Texas elected a Democrat to the Senate for the first time since 1988, and Kansas did the same for the first time since the 1932 election, when Franklin D. Roosevelt first entered the White House.
Historic firsts and a rebuke to the president
Other notable firsts from the election include the first Muslim US senator, the first openly gay US senator, and the first time more than one black state governor will serve at the same time.
The scale of the defeat is difficult to overstate. Trump promised to lower prices, but instead sent them soaring by launching a war in Iran without a clear exit strategy, according to the report.
What happens next for Trump
Trump remains president until January 2029, but his first 11 months in office were marked by a Republican House and Senate willing to back his agenda. Now, Democrats should have no trouble blocking his legislative programme. He can still sign executive orders, which do not require congressional approval, but these are more limited than enacted laws and would face stronger efforts to undermine them.
He is also unlikely to get any hardcore Maga Supreme Court judges confirmed to fill seats that might open up in the next two years. Perhaps most troubling for the president is the prospect of multiple congressional investigations into his family's crypto dealings, his tariffs, Elon Musk's Doge, and other issues.
Gridlock and the threat of escalation
Trump has promised not to give the Democrat-controlled Congress an easy ride, with his new favourite word being 'veto'. As president, he can block any laws passed by Congress, and overriding that requires a two-thirds majority, which could be difficult in a divided legislature. This looks like a recipe for political gridlock.
There have been concerns about how the president might behave with nothing left to lose, particularly regarding potential escalation in Iran. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Newsmax boss Chris Ruddy said he reckoned there was an '80% chance' of military action. He said: 'I don't think we've ever mobilised the amount of military personnel and equipment and arsenals to a theatre and not used it, so I think he will use it.'
Such a move would have major consequences for the UK and the rest of the world, and would likely deal a serious blow to Republican hopes of retaining the White House at the 2028 presidential election. Vice President JD Vance's prospects of securing the party's nomination appear to be slipping, though there are few alternatives who could shake off association with the president.
Meanwhile, the Democrats will be looking for a candidate who won't fumble a strong opportunity. Potential contenders include Georgia senator Jon Ossoff, whose takedowns of Trump have gone viral, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a prominent figure in the party's left wing. The last time Democrats achieved such a thumping midterm victory was in 2006, when George W. Bush was on his way out, setting them on the road to the White House two years later with Barack Obama as their candidate.
