We’ve seen peak Trump, but the next two years will be a rocky ride

November 4, 2026 — 12:21pm

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For the best part of two years, Donald Trump has had complete control of the US government. The midterm elections could knock out one, if not two, of the pillars supporting that dominance.

But will the elections he labelled “the most important in our lifetime” have any practical consequences?

If the polls are right, there will be a Democrat “blue wave” giving them control of the House, with a chance of also gaining a slim majority in the Senate. Republican majorities in both congressional chambers have been two of the three pillars that have allowed Trump to reign almost unchecked.

The elections, however, won’t touch the other, more central, foundation of his second term – one made even more powerful by decisions of a US Supreme Court he stacked with conservative judges: his executive power.

Trump has wielded that authority with abandon, aided by a supine Congress and an administration staffed by sycophantic enablers. They have allowed him to assume authority over matters that, constitutionally, lie with the legislature.

If the Democrats are as successful as the polling suggests, Trump’s executive authority, including the power to veto bills enacted by Congress (unless the Democrats were able to acquire or negotiate a super-majority in the Senate, which is unlikely) won’t be directly affected.

‘If we didn’t win, I veto everything. I’ll be vetoing, vetoing … and then at some point, we’ll probably make deals.’Donald Trump on the midterms

It might, however, be limited or influenced – either by measures that Trump sees as popular and that might remove political baggage for the Republicans in the lead-up to the 2028 general elections, or by threats to the funding of his administration.

Democrat control of the House would allow them to cancel funding for some of Trump’s programs and withhold funding for anything new Trump wants – like the 44 per cent increase in funding, to $US1.5 trillion ($2.1 trillion), that he has sought for the “Department of War”. Or they could simply let all funding for the government run out, which will happen on December 11 unless Congress agrees and Trump approves a new budget........

© The Sydney Morning Herald