Donald Trump has lost control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate after a crushing midterm defeat, leaving the final two years of his presidency facing investigations and possible impeachment.
The scale of the Democratic victory is described as breathtaking. Texas, Kansas, Iowa, Ohio, North Carolina and South Carolina all helped deliver the Senate to Democrats. Republican strongholds collapsed, with Texas turning against Trump after Democrats had been unable to win a statewide election there for more than three decades.
A Historic Rout Across Republican Strongholds
Trump-backed Ken Paxton lost his Senate race, and Governor Greg Abbott was thrown out. Voters also handed Democrats the House, completing a political rout that stripped Trump of the congressional majorities he depended on.
Trump claimed Republicans lost because he was not on the ballot, insisting they would have won by a landslide had he been standing. However, he had spent the campaign demanding Americans treat the election as a referendum on him, and millions did precisely that.
Investigations and Impeachment Loom
When the new Congress takes office in January, Democrats will control both chambers. The House can launch impeachment proceedings, while the Senate can block judicial appointments, reject senior government nominees and frustrate Trump's legislative ambitions.
The House alone can impeach him. Conviction would still require a two-thirds majority in the Senate, but the prospect of becoming the first American president impeached three times would be a spectacular addition to his collection of unwanted historical achievements. There could be inquiries into the Iran war, government contracts, Jeffrey Epstein, immigration enforcement, the activities of federal agencies and allegations of conflicts of interest involving Trump's family.
Officials Face Tough Questions
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Todd Blanche, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and the rest of Trump's entourage could face difficult questions about decisions taken in the President's name. Ultimately, they may find themselves out of a job.
Congressional committees can issue subpoenas, demand documents and require senior officials to testify under oath. Witnesses who once feared crossing the President may find themselves answering to lawmakers determined to establish what happened behind closed doors.
A Presidency Reduced to Threats
Trump's legislative agenda will be strangled, his spending priorities challenged, and his efforts to appoint loyalists obstructed. His demands for more money to pursue the war in Iran will face congressional resistance. He retains executive powers and the presidential veto, but the unchecked authority he enjoyed under a compliant Republican Congress has gone.
Trump will become one of the most ineffective presidents in American history, reduced to issuing threats while his opponents control the congressional machinery needed to turn political ambitions into law. His foreign policy also faces an uncomfortable reality, as ending the Iran conflict, restoring economic confidence and repairing America's standing will require the relationships he has spent years damaging.
Republicans who once feared his wrath may start fearing their own voters more, and senior officials may begin thinking about their reputations and futures beyond this administration. Democrats, armed with control of Congress, have the opportunity to expose decisions that have escaped proper scrutiny.
