If the midterm elections result in major losses for Republicans, President Donald Trump will shift his attention away from legislative battles and center his remaining time in office on his personal legacy and Washington, D.C. building projects, according to party insiders.
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Trump → result → insiders
One GOP strategist told The Washington Sun that if Democrats take control of Congress, the president “really won’t give a f--- after November and will be focused solely on his legacy.”
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president → tell → legacy
Millions of Americans are heading to the polls Tuesday to vote in pivotal elections across the country.
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Millions → head → country
Though Trump is not on the ballot, he has repeatedly encouraged supporters on the campaign trail to “pretend” that he is.
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he → encourage → trail
However, numerous polls have predicted grim outcomes for GOP candidates amid anger over the soaring cost of living and the president’s unpopular war in Iran.
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polls → predict → Iran
The report, based on interviews with around a dozen political insiders regarding Trump’s final two years in office, indicates that a Democratic-led House or Senate would also likely trigger intense partisan conflict.
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House → base → conflict
One source close to the president told the outlet that “the more radical wing of the [Democratic] Party is going to demand investigations and impeachment,” adding that such moves could prompt Trump to “demand his Justice Department do the same.”
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Department → tell → same
Trump allies maintain that the administration is far better equipped to counter congressional inquiries than it was following the 2018 midterms.
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it → maintain → midterms
With legislative avenues potentially blocked, sources expect Trump to rely heavily on executive authority, including issuing executive orders and presidential pardons.
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Trump → block → orders
When previously asked by The Washington Sun if he would consider pardoning associates targeted by Democratic probes, Trump pointed to precedents set by his predecessor, stating: “That’s what [former President Joe] Biden did.”
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Biden → ask → what
When asked whether such pardons would extend to anyone who had worked for him, Trump replied:“I did it for J6,” referencing his actions regarding his supporters who were jailed following the 2021 Capitol riot.
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who → ask → riot
Insiders also expect Trump to dedicate significant energy to continue his reshaping of the nation’s capital.
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Trump → expect → capital
His proposed projects include an arch, designed to dwarf Paris’ Arc de Triomphe in sclae, which has drawn criticism for its proximity to Arlington National Cemetery.
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which → propose → Cemetery
Trump has also directed a controversial remodeling of the East Potomac Links golf course — where extensive tree removal sparked local pushback — and overseen the troubled renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which required draining after its newly-installed liner peeled off.
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liner → direct → draining
Speaking in front of the reflecting pool during his final pre-election address Monday, Trump appeared to acknowledge the threat of heavy GOP losses, noting that history typically disfavors the sitting president's party in midterms.
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history → speak → midterms
“This is the last day before the midterm elections — the most important midterm, I believe, in our lifetime,” Trump said, as NBC News reported.
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News → believe → lifetime
“The Democrat Party has nominated the most extreme and dangerous slate of candidates in American history.
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Party → nominate → history
These are the most dangerous candidates ever put up.”
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These → put → ?
He touted what he considered economic wins, saying that “personal incomes are the highest in history” and that “the poverty rate is at an all-time record low.”
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rate → tout → low
He added that “it all doesn’t matter if we’re going to be foolish and let people that hate our country win an election.”
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that → add → election
“If the people that voted for me and voted in the last election ... just a good portion of them, we will win in a landslide,” Trump continued.
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Trump → vote → landslide
“Now, that doesn’t happen, because usually, whoever the sitting president is, Republican or Democrat, good or bad, good president, great president, bad — for some reason, the sitting president doesn’t win the midterms, but we gave this a very strong shot.”
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we → happen → shot
The Independent has contacted the White House for comment.
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Independent → contact → comment
The Aporia
