Democrats who will comprise the new Congress next year are poised for a fight after President Donald Trump doubled down on his ultra-conservative policies, hiring a known ultra-conservative as chief of staff and offering the press secretary job to another.
‘Willing to Work With Democrats’ No More?
President Donald Trump greets President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, Friday, February 28, 2025, in the West Wing Lobby. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)
President Donald Trump greets President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, Friday, February 28, 2025, in the West Wing Lobby. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)
Following the massive Republican rout in the midterm elections, which saw conservatives lose seats in government in both federal and state positions, Trump was seemingly unfazed by the loss, saying a day later that he was willing to work with Democrats.
He clarified, however, that this would be true only if Democrats did not become “destructive.” Otherwise, the president said, he would not hesitate to use his “power of the veto.”
Trump has seemingly changed his tune, however, after posting on his social media platform, Truth Social, claiming that the Democratic victory was a “giant step back in History.” The president, who was quick to claim credit for a stock rally right after election results came out, was also quick to blame the Democrats for the dip in stock prices that followed.
Analysts attributed the fall in the stock market to a “normal” market correction; the decrease in prices, which was particularly apparent in tech stocks, pointed to worries of possible investigations by the Democrats, who are especially wary of and hostile to AI technology.
Hiring Hard-Liners
In an apparent effort to combat the “lunatic left,” Trump said he had extended a job offer to Dana White, CEO of the mixed martial arts promotion company Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), to be the next US press secretary.
“Dana will be a Press Secretary like none other,” the president said. “Dana, please take the job!”
A few hours later, Trump said that he was “only kidding” about offering White the press secretary post. White reportedly declined the offer.
The White House press secretary position has been largely unfilled since Karoline Leavitt resigned in the summer, citing the need to spend more time caring for her children — Leavitt gave birth to her second child in May this year.
Her replacement, conservative commentator Katie Zacharia, was fired just five days into the job; among other things, Zacharia drew heavy criticism for calling herself a lawyer despite never having passed the bar exam.
Trump also appointed aide Stephen Miller as his new Chief of Staff, after Susie Wiles departed the post. Miller is widely reputed to be the brains behind the massive and often violent immigration crackdown, which has seen thousands deported and detained, and has cost the lives of several US citizens.
“Stephen’s been with me from the beginning. He gets it,” the president said of his new hire. “Very good politically and he’s a very good man. He’ll do a great job. Great manager.”
The decision to appoint Miller as chief of staff comes after Trump admitted that his immigration policies may have been excessive and may have led to the deportation of many “good” people, despite their undocumented status.
Democrats Ready Regardless
Democrats are taking Trump’s unpredictability in their stride, saying they will stick to their game plan from the beginning, no matter how much the president changes his tune.
Speaking on ABC’s “This Week” news program, Michigan Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed said Democrats are willing to work with Trump if the latter “wants to act serious,” while also calling the president an “unserious fool.”
“If he wants to act serious, we are happy to work alongside him,” El-Sayed said, cautioning that, “if he [the president] wants to continue to fool, he will hire people like Stephen Miller to run the White House, and he gets to choose where he goes next.”
What Does the Future Hold?
It remains to be seen what impact Miller’s hiring will have, especially on the Trump administration’s immigration agenda.
Congress has already approved multi-year funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the executive branch enforces immigration policies.
Democrats have universally been heavily against the scale and manner of ICE’s immigration crackdowns, and the majority they hold in Congress gives them the power to do something about it.
About the Author: Tim Ramos
Tim Ramos has written for various publications, corporations, and organizations, covering everything from finance, politics, travel, entertainment, and sports – in Asia and the U.S. for more than 10 years.
