Since Republicans’ midterm election loss, President Donald Trump has played defense by doubling down on his most hard-core policies, replacing his White House Chief of Staff, attempting to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the elections, and blaming his party’s messaging, as his approval rating remains at a dismal 32%.
Where Things Currently Stand
President Donald Trump exits the stage after delivering remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at the Davos Congress Center. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)
President Donald J. Trump participates in a restricted bilateral meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at the Bestepe Presidential Compound in Ankara, Turkey. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)
Many hazard that Trump will be more of a “lame duck” president following the Democrats’ victory, with liberals controlling both chambers of Congress.
In the Senate, Democrats gained nine seats during the midterms, bringing their total to 56, including Independents — Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and Maine Senator Angus King — who caucus with them.
The nine-seat gain in a single election is the biggest in US political history since the 1980s.
The win is also especially significant given the fact that Trump won by at least 11 points in five of the nine states in his 2024 run — Texas, Alaska, South Carolina, Ohio, Mississippi, Kansas, and Iowa.
In the House, Democrats are set to control 254 seats, compared with Republicans’ 165.
At the time of reporting, 16 races had yet to be called, but Democratic control was decided.
It’s a significant advantage, but it still falls short of the 290 seats needed to override a veto — something Trump has repeatedly threatened to use against “destructive” Democratic agendas.
From Conciliatory to Hostile
Trump initially said that he was willing to work with Democrats once the new session of Congress convenes next year, even going so far as to say that he would like to tackle immigration with the liberal Congress and admitting that his immigration policies may have been too excessive.
Exit polls supported this, showing that 58% of voters agreed that immigration enforcement actions have “gone too far.”
The president quickly changed his tune, however, appointing ultra-conservative adviser and anti-immigration proponent Stephen Miller as White House Chief of Staff.
Administration supporters lauded the appointment, after fears that the president could grant amnesty to illegal immigrants, similar to former president Ronald Reagan’s 1986 initiative.
Conservative and right-wing influencer Benny Johnson posted “It’s Miller Time” on social media, extolling Miller’s ideologically driven, rather than politically driven, mindset.
Miller has been a central figure in Trump’s immigration enforcement policies and is credited with the expansion of deportations and increased enforcement actions by ICE.
During Trump’s first term, Miller was also involved in the decision to limit arrivals from Muslim-majority countries, and has supported Trump’s 2020 election fraud claims.
‘Not on the Ballot’
Trump also claims that Republicans would have won if he were on the ballot. On the campaign trail, as he championed GOP candidates, Trump urged voters to vote as if he were on the ballot.
The president has since attributed the midterm loss to other factors. Trump said that Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott became a “RINO” or “Republican in name only,” costing Republicans the Texas governor’s mansion — despite Abbott’s staunch support of the president’s immigration policies.
Abbott was unseated by Democrat Gina Hinojosa, who will become the country’s first Latina governor.
Trump also said that his administration may have failed to communicate the economic benefit of his policies to voters.
This was despite continued high gas prices—which Trump said were not a big deal—and the sharp decline of America’s farming industry.
The president has also tried to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the elections, asking in a Truth Social post, “Does anybody really believe that this ‘Election’ was honest? How could the Polls be so wrong???”
Investigations Are NOT Welcome
As Democrats prepare themselves to hold the president to account in the new year aggressively, Trump has warned that he will fight tooth and nail against investigations into himself and his family.
Attorney General Todd Blanche positioned himself in front of the president, saying that the Trump administration was ready to take on the Democrats.
“If that’s what this new incoming leadership wants to do, we are ready. If you work in this administration, you have a lawyer. It’s me,” said Blanche, a former personal attorney for the president.
Trump has also called on the Department of Justice to investigate “SLEAZEBAG” Democrats who attempt to investigate “innocent Republican Donors and Party Members.”
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.
