President Trump seems to be reconsidering his approach to Democrats after Tuesday's massive
and has so far made contradictory comments about how he plans to deal with them as they take control of the and the in January.
asserted
they → seem → January
"We're going to work with the Democrats," the president told Politico as GOP defeats were beginning to stack up Tuesday night, though in
with CBS News' Robert Costa before polls closed, he had said, "I have the ultimate power — it's called 'veto.'"By
asserted
it → go → power
, he had merged the two approaches.
asserted
he → merge → approaches
"I'll get along, probably, with the Democrats, unless they want to be destructive, but I have the power of the veto," the president told reporters at the White House ballroom construction site Wednesday.
asserted
president → get → site
On Thursday, a red hat that said "VETO" sat on the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office.
asserted
that → say → Office
After two years of working in lockstep with Mr. Trump, some Republicans may prove more willing to defy the term-limited president to try to salvage their political careers.
uncertain
Republicans → work → careers
Here's what the newly empowered congressional Democrats may have in store for Mr. Trump in 2027 for the last two years of his presidency.
uncertain
Democrats → empower → presidency
The committee chair's gavel comes with subpoena power, and Democrats plan to wield it.
asserted
Democrats → come → it
"Lawyer up," warned Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the incoming chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
asserted
Garcia → warn → Oversight
He has been mapping out the panel's investigative agenda for months.
asserted
He → map → months
New probes will focus on the Trump family's business dealings, corporate corruption, Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions and the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, Garcia said.
asserted
Garcia → focus → Security
Garcia wants to know more about
that were partially paid for by a Russian oligarch, a $2 billion investment that received from Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, the , companies linked to the president's sons that have received Pentagon contracts, allegations of a pay-to-play scheme and other kickbacks related to DHS contracts and White House ballroom donations.
asserted
that → want → contracts
"Folks that need to be concerned first are administration officials that have caused real harm.
asserted
that → need → harm
We're going to investigate the abuses," Garcia said at a news conference in California on Wednesday.
asserted
Garcia → go → Wednesday
He singled out White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, former DHS official Corey Lewandowski and former DHS secretary Kristi Noem, as well as Trump family members, as possible targets.
asserted
He → single → targets
"There's a lot of folks that need to understand that we are going to ask them to testify in front of the U.S. Congress," Garcia said.
asserted
Garcia → be → Congress
He acknowledged that the Trump Justice Department is unlikely to take any enforcement action against those who don't cooperate.
asserted
who → acknowledge → those
But he said that in the majority, Democrats will have the power to sue on behalf of the House.
asserted
Democrats → say → House
And contempt charges not only go to the DOJ; there's also a civil contempt process that goes to the courts," he said.
asserted
he → go → courts
Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, who will lead the House Judiciary Committee, has his own lengthy list of investigative targets, some of which overlap with the oversight committee, like the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein probe and Ghislaine Maxwell's transfer to a low-security prison.
asserted
some → lead → prison
Raskin also plans to scrutinize what Democrats have characterized as "slush funds" — an international initiative called the "Board of Peace;" the "anti-weaponization" fund created from a settlement of a Trump lawsuit against the IRS and Treasury Department and White House ballroom funding.
asserted
Democrats → plan → IRS
"There are private entities that we can subpoena to come in," Raskin told Punchbowl News, regarding other avenues to gather information from outside of the Trump administration.
asserted
Raskin → be → administration
Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said he plans to conduct "vigorous oversight" of the Defense Department.
asserted
he → say → Department
The "illegal war against Iran is top of mind for me and the American people," Smith said in a statement Wednesday.
asserted
Smith → say → statement
He said he also plans to look at "sweetheart deals" and waste, fraud and abuse in government contracts.
asserted
he → say → contracts
Smith also wants to investigate the "unauthorized military strikes in the Caribbean and Latin America, the deployment of the military to U.S. cities, and the blatant and corrosive politicization of our Armed Forces and purging of the ranks based on loyalty and ideology."
asserted
Smith → want → loyalty
Douglas Kriner, a professor in Cornell University's Government Department, said "there's always been greater investigatory activity in divided governments than when the president's party controls Congress."
asserted
party → say → Congress
He said the House has always been more aggressive in its investigations than the Senate.
asserted
House → say → Senate
A White House official said that if Democrats want to "abuse their power and politicize the process of investigations, subpoenas and destroying lives, they should be reminded that we still control the federal government and all of its powers."
"As the president has said, he's willing to work with anyone to continue delivering victories for hardworking Americans," said White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis.
asserted
Bis → say → Americans
"If Democrats choose to pursue sham investigations and radical left policies, they are choosing to work against the American people.
asserted
they → choose → people
"
Not inclined to impeach Trump at this point
During the campaign, Mr. Trump often predicted he'd be impeached if Democrats took control of Congress, but for now, they've shown no sign that this is on their agenda.
asserted
this → impeach → agenda
On Wednesday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters, "I haven't had a single member of the House Democratic Caucus talk to me about impeachment."
asserted
member → tell → impeachment
Mr. Trump was impeached twice during his first term when Democrats controlled the House.
asserted
Democrats → impeach → House
Both efforts ended without a conviction in the Senate, which requires a two-thirds majority vote.
asserted
which → end → vote
Even those on the far left, like Rep.-elect Melat Kiros of Colorado, who is among the contingent of democratic socialists joining Congress next year, told CBS News in a recent interview that the party should focus on legislation that could make a material difference in the lives of working-class people.
"I'm not convinced that there is a path forward for impeaching the president that would lead to removal," she said.
uncertain
she → join → removal
Asked whether he would support impeaching the president, Rep.-elect Chris Rabb of Pennsylvania, another democratic socialist, told CBS News that the question was "too broad" for him to answer.
asserted
him → ask → News
Some Democratic leaders like Raskin agree there are more important issues to address than pursuing impeachment, even though they believe that Mr. Trump has committed impeachable offenses.
asserted
Trump → agree → offenses
The president also perceives that there's currently little appetite for a third try.
asserted
president → perceive → try
"Not even a little bit," Mr. Trump responded when asked if he was worried about being impeached again.
asserted
he → respond → ?
"I think it would destroy the Democrat Party if they did that.
asserted
they → think → that
…and 36 more, not listed.
The Aporia
