President Donald Trump said he is prepared to veto Democratic legislation and to lean on expansive executive powers if Democrats win control of Congress, telling CBS News in an exclusive phone interview before polls closed Tuesday that he holds what he described as the ultimate constitutional tool.
"I have the ultimate power — it's called 'veto,'" Trump said, according to CBS News.
Speaking to CBS News' Robert Costa, Trump said he was prepared to use his veto authority if Democrats gained control [1]. Pollsters had been predicting some Republican losses, and late-October CBS News polling suggested Republicans could be on track to lose control of the House, according to the network's report. Trump nonetheless remained optimistic about his party's chances and said he felt confident about his ability to pursue his agenda over the coming two years.
Trump Comments on Midterm Campaign, Does Not Predict Outcome
Trump said he believes he did everything he could to help Republicans across the country in recent weeks. He said his efforts helped recast the elections from a possible blue wave into something more competitive. "If you remember, about 30, 40 days ago, people were saying it's going to be a big loss, and now people are talking about, like we could even win it," he said, per CBS News.
When asked about his motivation, Trump said, "I just think that we're doing so well that I didn't want to see anything get in the way of what we've done." He cited the passage of last year's One Big Beautiful Bill Act and his efforts on trade as driving growth in different economic sectors. He did not make any firm predictions about the outcome. "We'll have to see," he said. "Will we win? We have a good chance. But we're not going to be embarrassed."
The comments came during a final campaign push in which Trump rallied in Florida, Iowa and Kansas — states he won in past elections — and sought to tamp down voter frustration over rising prices, particularly fuel, while attacking Democrats [7]. Voter concerns during the primaries had focused on artificial intelligence and data centers before expanding by October to broader topics such as high prices, the war in Iran and Trump's immigration policies [8].
Conclusion: Divided Government Sets Stage for Executive-Congress Clash
Trump's remarks set up the prospect of a dramatic showdown between the executive branch and Congress next year if Democrats win majorities in each chamber. Associated Press projections showed Democrats clearing the 218-seat threshold to take control of the House, after reclaiming the Senate earlier in the evening [9]. "Today begins the great American comeback," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said, according to the report [10].
Democrats said they plan to investigate President Trump and his allies and pursue the impeachment of top officials after winning control of Congress [11]. A senior Democrat has warned the Trump administration to prepare for scrutiny, with Robert Garcia vowing to investigate the Trump family's business dealings, including UAE investments and a deal involving Abu Dhabi-backed investors [12].
Even without control of Congress, American presidents still have broad powers they can exercise, and Trump has given conflicting messages about how he might deal with Democrats after his party's defeat [13]. Trump also said late Tuesday he is willing to work with Democrats after Republicans lost both chambers. "I am absolutely willing to accept those results," Trump told The New York Times. "We'll work with the Democrats, and we'll, you know, look forward to working with them. We'll probably work something out" [14]. The question of whether a president can leverage emergency or executive authorities against explicit congressional refusal to authorize a project has never been used to frustrate the will of Congress, and would represent a significant blow to separation of powers if a court allowed it, writes Burt Neuborne in his study of constitutional checks [15].
References
- President Trump told CBS News' Robert Costa that .... https://www.facebook.com/CBSNews/posts/president-trump-told-cbs-news-robert-costa-that-hes-prepared-to-use-his-executiv/1555117246480114/
- The GOP Has Lost Congress. What Happens Next?. https://thenationalpulse.com/2026/11/04/the-gop-has-lost-congress-what-happens-next/
- President Veto. https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/president-veto
- Trump urges Supreme Court to rein in activist judges blocking border security moves - NaturalNews.com, March 24, 2025.
- Attenuated Democracy by David Hubert
- Bright Videos News - Interview with Jonathan Emord - Mike Adams - BrightVideos.com, June 04, 2024.
- Trump makes fevered campaign push in final weekend before election. https://bbc.com/news/articles/c3j47gjx29vro
- Voters Weigh In on Top Issues Ahead of Midterms. https://theepochtimes.com/us/voters-weigh-in-on-top-issues-ahead-of-midterms-6111716
- Democrats Notched Victories in Battleground Races to Flip Senate, House. https://theepochtimes.com/us/democrats-win-control-of-congress-6115148
- Democrats Win Control of Congress. https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/democrats-win-control-of-congress-6115148?ea_src=frontpage&ea_med=section-1
- Democrats Vow Investigations of Trump, Allies After Flipping Congress. https://theepochtimes.com/us/democrats-vow-investigations-of-trump-allies-after-flipping-congress-6117928
- US midterm elections 2026: Top Democrat tells Trump administration to 'lawyer up'. https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/us-midterm-elections-2026-top-democrat-tells-trump-lawyer-up
- Anthony Zurcher: Midterm carnage weakens Trump but he still wields power for now. https://bbc.com/news/articles/cmpdg093e589o
- Trump Says He Is Open to Working With Democrats After Senate Flips Blue. https://theepochtimes.com/us/trump-says-he-is-open-to-working-with-democrats-after-senate-flips-blue-6117821
- When at Times the Mob Is Swayed by Burt Neuborne
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