Democrats are projected to win control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate in the 2026 US midterm elections, handing President Donald Trump a historic defeat. The party has secured several key victories, including flips in North and South Carolina, with official results still pending.
Trump Vows to Veto Democratic Legislation
Reacting to the crushing night, Trump has vowed to veto Democratic legislation, describing this as his "ultimate power." He welcomed the moniker "Mr Veto" in describing his approach to the Democrats. Speaking to Fox News, Trump congratulated the Democrats, saying "they did a good job."
Trump has been sending mixed signals on what comes next. This morning, he told Politico: "We're going to work with the Democrats to make sure things go well for our country." However, he also said: "If I think it's not good, I'm just going to veto it." He posted an image of a red cap with "VETO" on it on Truth Social.
Democrats Celebrate 'Blue Tsunami'
Young voters have strongly turned out for the Democratic Party, and their support could prove pivotal, a campaign group has said. "Preliminary results from tonight make it clear that this is a blue tsunami," Santiago Mayer, executive director of Voters of Tomorrow, said.
Democrat US senator Jon Ossoff, who won re-election in Georgia, told supporters: "In sweeping and decisive victories the American people have rebuked the depravity, corruption, and incompetence of the failed lame duck president Donald J Trump." He added: "And if, at times these last two years, amidst the ceaseless onslaught of brutality and indecency, you doubted whether our republic would survive, let tonight's results give you courage that the first light of dawn is on the horizon."
Historic Wins in Michigan and Beyond
Democrat Dr Abdul El-Sayed has won the Michigan Senate seat, defeating Republican Mike Rogers. El-Sayed, a former public health official, will succeed Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, who is retiring. El-Sayed will be the country's first Muslim senator.
In his victory speech, El-Sayed mocked JD Vance and Donald Trump following a string of anti-Muslim attacks and the President mocking his name. He said: "JD, habibi, there is this delicious irony in the fact that you're constitutionally obligated to swear me in in January." To Trump, he said: "Donald, I know you struggle with my name, so after JD swears me in in January, you can just go on and call me Senator."
Democrat candidates also won in Texas and South Carolina, states Trump won by double digits just two years ago and where the blue party had not won for decades. The results surpassed even the most optimistic predictions of a "blue tsunami." A Democrat source told the Mirror: "It's beyond my wildest hopes."
Reactions from Obama, Musk, and Westminster
Former US President Barack Obama wrote on X: "Tonight, the American people sent a clear message — they want a politics that brings people together rather than divides them, and leaders who offer concrete solutions to the challenges they face." He added that Americans now had to "roll up our sleeves" for Trump's final two years in office.
Elon Musk, who had reportedly donated $445m to Republican candidates, wrote on X: "Guess my election-interfering space lasers didn't work this time."
In Westminster, health minister James Frith described the results as an "enormous night for American democracy and the Democrats" and said it is a "seismic shift" in US politics. He said the Government will "maintain its excellent relationship" with the US President, adding that the longstanding relationship between the US and UK is "unwavering."
