Donald Trump has responded to his disastrous defeat in the US midterm elections by threatening to use one of his most significant remaining powers - the presidential veto.
asserted
Trump → respond → powers
In a major setback to the President, the Democrats won control of both the Senate and the House on Wednesday after scoring sweeping victories in Republican strongholds, including Kansas and Texas.
asserted
Democrats → win → Kansas
The results will severely hamper Trump’s efforts to deliver his legislative agenda for the remainder of his presidency, following two years in which Congress rarely exercised its power to rein in the President.
asserted
Congress → hamper → President
As the scale of the Republican defeat became clear, Trump posted a picture of one of his iconic red baseball caps on his Truth Social account featuring one word: “Veto”.
asserted
Trump → become → word
On Sunday, Trump said he expected to issue vetoes for "a month or two" before reaching compromises with the Democrats.
asserted
he → say → Democrats
"I guess I'll become Mr. Veto," Trump told the New York Post's Pod Force One podcast.
asserted
Trump → guess → podcast
"And then at some point, we'll probably make deals."
asserted
we → make → deals
The White House has spent months preparing for a possible Democratic takeover of Congress and will seek to advance Trump’s agenda on immigration, tariffs, housing costs and federal spending through executive power.
asserted
House → spend → power
The Independent looks at what veto powers Trump will have - and what he will find difficult to do in government after the results.
asserted
he → look → results
Despite the Democrats winning both chambers, Trump retains veto power and broad executive authority, limiting the ability of his rivals to enact major legislation.
Article I, Section 7 of the Constitution states that the President can veto bills passed by Congress before they become law.
asserted
they → win → Congress
Congress can override the veto, but it requires a two-thirds majority in both chambers.
asserted
it → override → chambers
The veto does not allow the President to change the content of the legislation.
asserted
President → allow → legislation
But by threatening a veto, they can seek to influence and shape a bill before it is proposed.
asserted
it → threaten → bill
A “pocket veto”, happens if the President does not sign a bill within ten days of it being passed to their desk by Congress.
asserted
it → happen → Congress
If Congress is adjourned before the ten days are up and the legislation is not returned by the President, the bill effectively dies.
asserted
bill → adjourn → President
This type of veto is particularly powerful because Congress cannot override it, as it is not able to vote whilst in adjournment.
asserted
it → override → adjournment
Has Trump used the veto before?
asserted
Trump → use → veto
Trump used the presidential veto ten times during his first term, according to the American Presidency Project at UC Santa Barbara.
uncertain
Trump → use → Barbara
In his second term, he has used it twice.
asserted
he → use → it
This compares with 13 vetoes during the Biden administration and 12 during Barack Obama’s two terms.
asserted
This → compare → terms
In December last year, Trump vetoed two bills that passed Congress with bipartisan support.
asserted
that → veto → support
One had aimed to cut the amount that communities in Colorado were paying toward a new water pipeline, proposed by one of Trump’s MAGA allies Rep. Lauren Boebert.
asserted
communities → aim → allies
The other would have supported a flooding mitigation project for a Native American tribe in Florida.
asserted
other → support → Florida
Under the legislation, the Miccosukee tribe would have been given more control of their tribal lands.
asserted
tribe → give → lands
But Trump claimed that the tribe had “actively sought to obstruct reasonable immigration policies that the American people decisively voted for when I was elected”.
asserted
I → claim → that
The tribe was among groups suing the Trump administration over an immigration detention center built in the Everglades known as “Alligator Alcatraz”, which has now been shut down.
asserted
which → sue → Alcatraz
Trump has previously invoked national emergencies to expand his ability to act without new legislation.
asserted
Trump → invoke → legislation
Congress can vote to end those emergencies, but Trump could veto such a move, requiring two-thirds majorities in both chambers to override him.
uncertain
Trump → vote → him
What will be difficult for Trump to do?
asserted
Trump → do → ?
The results are likely to usher in deadlock in Washington.
asserted
results → usher → Washington
Once seated in January, the Democrats are expected to use their power to investigate Trump's administration, family and allies and demand concessions on major legislation.
asserted
Democrats → seat → legislation
A Democratic Senate can also block Trump's nominees, including any US Supreme Court justices should a vacancy arise.
asserted
vacancy → block → justices
But there are still a number of areas that Trump can influence without congressional approval.
asserted
Trump → be → approval
He will still retain significant authority to pursue foreign policy and implement tariffs - two areas that have been a focus during his second term.
asserted
that → retain → term
For example, Trump can continue to order new airstrikes on Iran, impose economic sanctions and directly negotiate with world leaders including Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping.
asserted
Trump → continue → Putin
However, new treaties with other countries cannot be ratified without congressional approval.
asserted
treaties → ratify → approval
And Trump will not be able to declare war on another country - only Congress has the constitutional power to do so.
asserted
Congress → declare → power
Will the veto force Trump and the Democrats to compromise?
asserted
veto → force → Trump
During both of his presidential terms, Trump has shown little appetite for seeking congressional approval for many of his key policies.
asserted
Trump → show → policies
This includes his deeply unpopular war in Iran, which began in late February with the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
asserted
which → include → Khamenei
…and 12 more, not listed.
The Aporia
