US Midterm: Trump Issues Veto Warning As Democrats Take Over Congress

United States (US) President Donald Trump has threatened to veto bills passed by Democrats following his Republican Party’s defeat in the November 3 midterm elections.

Trump issued the warning after Democrats secured control of both the Senate and House of Representatives, giving the opposition party control of Congress for the first time since Republicans took over both chambers, Naija News reports.

The President signalled his readiness to block legislation from the incoming Democratic-controlled Congress in a social media post where he shared a picture of a red baseball cap bearing the word “VETO”.

“They can send over, you know, 50 different great bills that they’re all excited about, and I send them back with a nice stamp, ‘veto’,” Trump said.

His warning came as the Democrats celebrated major victories across the United States, including in states traditionally regarded as Republican strongholds.

Reacting to the election outcome, Trump also congratulated the Democrats, saying he was prepared to work with them on issues where both parties could reach an agreement.

“I can work with them on many things,” he said.

The President also admitted that the war against Iran and its impact on petrol prices contributed to his party’s poor performance.

Speaking to Fox News, Trump said although many Americans supported his position on Iran, they were unwilling to bear the financial consequences of the conflict.

“I think a part of it was Iran, but at the same time, people agree with what I’m doing on Iran, but they really probably weren’t willing to do the short-term consequence of paying more for gasoline,” he said.

The conflict has disrupted the movement of crude oil and other essential commodities through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran restricted access to the strategic waterway.

The development triggered an increase in global crude oil prices, adding to the cost of petrol and putting pressure on American households.

Trump had campaigned extensively for Republican candidates ahead of the election and made controversial promises, including monetary compensation to people who voted for his party.

However, the Democrats recorded significant victories despite his efforts.

The opposition party recorded major victories in Kansas and Iowa, becoming the fifth and sixth Republican-held Senate seats to fall during the election.

In Kansas, Methodist minister Adam Hamilton defeated Republican incumbent Roger Marshall to become the first Democrat elected to the US Senate from the conservative state since 1932.

Iowa also elected a Democratic senator for the first time since 2008.

The victories followed Democratic breakthroughs in Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina and Ohio, where voters rejected Republican candidates despite Trump’s efforts to rally support for his party.

In Texas, Democrat James Talarico defeated a Trump-backed Senate candidate, while Gina Hinojosa unseated Republican Governor Greg Abbott, ending decades of Republican control of the state’s top office.

Democrats also retained important Senate seats, including that of Jon Ossoff in Georgia and an open seat in New Hampshire.

Before the election, Republicans controlled the Senate with a 53-47 majority.

However, the six-seat gain by Democrats was enough for major television networks to project that the opposition party had taken control of the chamber, although some races remained unresolved.

The Democratic Party also secured control of the House of Representatives after defeating Republican candidates in several districts.

The party recorded victories in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Kentucky, Arizona and North Carolina.

Some of the victories came from areas Trump comfortably won during the 2024 presidential election, despite Republican efforts to protect their seats through changes to electoral boundaries.

One notable result came from Indiana, where Democrat J.D. Ford defeated Republican Congresswoman Victoria Spartz in a district Trump had won by 17 percentage points.

In Georgia, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms also made history after becoming the first Black woman elected governor in the United States.

Other Democratic victories extended to state governments across the country.

Despite their losses, Republicans secured some important victories, particularly in Florida.

Trump-backed Byron Donalds won the governorship, becoming the state’s first Black governor, while Republican Ashley Moody retained her Senate seat.

Reacting to the election outcome, George Washington University professor Todd Belt described the Democratic Party’s performance as a major rejection of Trump’s leadership and policies.

He called the result “a big wipeout and a strong repudiation of Donald Trump and his policies”, citing voters’ concerns about the economy, corruption and the Iran conflict.

The election outcome leaves Trump facing a Democratic-controlled Congress, where disagreements over legislation and government policies could shape the remaining years of his presidency.