US President Donald Trump is facing one of the biggest political setbacks of his presidency after the Democratic Party won control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives in the US midterm elections. With only two years left in Trump’s current term, the results suggest that public support for his administration has weakened sharply.
The election outcome also raises questions about how much power Trump will be able to exercise during the remaining years of his presidency. With Democrats controlling both chambers of Congress, the administration could face greater scrutiny, investigations and challenges to its decisions.
Recent opinion polls point to growing dissatisfaction with the president. Around 60% of American voters are unhappy with Trump’s performance. Nearly 70% want Congress to keep a closer check on his powers.
Six out of every 10 voters also believe that Trump gives more importance to his personal interests than to the welfare of the country.
The results indicate that public frustration with the administration has played a major role in the Democrats’ performance. A national survey also found that nearly three-fourths of voters were angry or deeply dissatisfied with the direction in which the country was heading.
One of the biggest changes has been seen among younger voters.
In the 2024 election, voters below the age of 30 were almost equally divided between the two major parties. This time, however, around 70% of young voters supported Democratic candidates in their constituencies.
The shift suggests that the Republican Party has lost support among a section of younger Americans who had earlier been divided in their political preferences.
The Democratic victory was not limited to traditionally Democratic areas. The party also made major gains in states that have long been considered Republican strongholds.
Democratic candidates performed strongly in Kansas, Texas and South Carolina, breaking long-standing electoral records. The party also won in important swing states, including Georgia, Michigan, New Hampshire and North Carolina. It made gains in Iowa as well, a state where Republicans have traditionally enjoyed strong support.
In Michigan, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers in a closely fought contest. He became the first Muslim elected to the US Senate. Ilhan Omar also retained her seat in the House of Representatives, despite Trump publicly calling for her resignation.
In Oregon, Tina Kotek won another term as governor.
Heavy spending by billionaire Elon Musk and other donors in the Texas Senate race also became a point of criticism within the Republican camp.
Republican strategist Patrick Mara said that election funding usually helps a candidate, but in this case, it brought the controversy over data centres directly into the campaign.
He also described Republican candidate Ken Paxton as a weak choice, pointing to the personal controversies surrounding him.
The criticism suggests that money alone could not overcome the problems faced by Republican candidates during the election.
The election results also drew reactions from leaders outside the United States.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomed the outcome and described it as the beginning of a “new era” in global relations. Speaking to the media, he said the Democratic victory showed that the American people had delivered a clear message.
China, meanwhile, described the election as an internal matter of the United States.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Beijing would continue working with Washington to improve bilateral relations. She added that China was willing to implement the understandings reached between the leaders of both countries, address differences and build stable relations based on fairness.
Trump has also acknowledged that the war involving Iran may have contributed to the Republican Party’s poor performance.
He said voters may not have been willing to bear the short-term difficulties caused by rising petrol prices. The increase in fuel costs appears to have added to public dissatisfaction with the administration.
Despite the setback, Trump said he would accept the election results.
The biggest political challenge for Trump may now come from the new Congress.
With Democrats controlling both the Senate and the House, they are expected to use their constitutional powers to question the administration and investigate its decisions.
Laura Blessing, a senior researcher at Georgetown University, believes Democrats will actively use their investigative powers.
Senator Richard Blumenthal is also expected to become chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Before the election, Blumenthal had made it clear that he would use his legal powers to investigate the activities of the administration.
Such investigations could create serious problems for the White House, particularly if they move ahead without its approval.
However, the process may not be straightforward. Government officials could challenge Senate summons in court, potentially delaying investigations for months or even years.
The election results have therefore opened a new political chapter in Washington. The key question now is whether the Democratic-controlled Congress will be able to hold Trump’s administration accountable and how far it will go in using its powers to do so.
Also Read: Mumbai Flyers Alert: 14 International Routes May Shift To Navi Mumbai From March 2027
