President Donald Trump has warned that he will exercise his veto power on all legislation if the Democrats regain control of Congress in next month's midterm elections. Even if he relinquishes majority status, Trump plans to leverage his veto to maintain influence in negotiations with Democrats.
According to U.S. media reports, Trump expressed his intentions during a press conference at the White House on October 23, responding to a question about how he would react if the Democrats regained congressional control.
Trump stated, "I believe the Republicans will win," but added, "If there is a stalemate, I will veto all bills." He elaborated, saying, "I will veto, veto, and veto again. Then the Democrats will come to us asking how they can get their bills passed, and we will negotiate."
In an interview with Florida's WINK-TV on the same day, Trump reiterated that he would veto all bills if the Democrats take control of Congress. This indicates his intention to use his veto power to bring any legislation passed by a Democratic majority back to the negotiating table.
The U.S. midterm elections on November 3 will determine all seats in the House of Representatives and some in the Senate. Currently, the Republicans control both chambers, but there is speculation about the Democrats' chances of reclaiming the House, raising concerns about a shift in the power dynamics between the White House and Congress after the elections.
Even if the Democrats secure a majority in Congress, Trump will still have the veto power to block legislation. According to the U.S. Constitution, bills passed by both the House and Senate are submitted to the president before becoming law. If the president opposes a bill, he can return it to Congress with his reasons for the veto. The president has ten days, excluding Sundays, to sign or veto a bill; otherwise, it automatically becomes law.
To override a presidential veto, both chambers must have a two-thirds majority vote in favor. If all members participate in the vote, this means 290 votes in the House of Representatives and 67 votes in the Senate are required.
Even if the Democrats gain a majority in both chambers, achieving an overwhelming number of seats to override a veto will be challenging. If Trump actively utilizes his veto power, legislative gridlock could persist even if bills pass through Congress.
Trump has previously exercised his veto power during his second term. On December 30, he vetoed the bipartisan Arkansas Valley Conduit Completion Act and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida Land Exchange Act, citing financial burdens and policy issues as reasons. Critics, however, labeled these actions as politically motivated retaliation. Both bills failed to secure enough votes for re-approval in the House in January.
In July, Trump did not sign the bipartisan Housing Supply Expansion Act, responding to Congress's failure to address the voter ID requirements in the SAVE America Act. The housing bill passed with overwhelming support, 85-5 in the Senate and 358-32 in the House. However, since Trump did not veto it, the bill became law without his signature on July 11.
Thus, Trump can use his veto power to pressure Congress. However, the Democrats may also have means to counteract this. On October 19, Reuters reported that if the Democrats take the House, they could expand investigations and document requests through committees, as well as delay or block confirmations of federal judges and high-ranking administration officials if they also control the Senate.
Particularly in matters requiring cooperation between the White House and Congress, such as the federal budget and raising the debt ceiling, tensions could escalate. Reuters analyzed that the outcome of the midterm elections could deepen the conflict between the White House and Congress over next year's budget and the debt ceiling issue.
If Trump's anticipated veto strategy comes to fruition, it could lead to prolonged legislative gridlock over key policies in the latter half of his second term, coinciding with the Democrats' efforts to exert congressional oversight.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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