Trump confident policies will remain unchanged even if Republicans lose

【Financial News, New York — Correspondent Lee Byeong-cheol】 With Republicans looking increasingly likely to lose ahead of the U.S. midterm elections, President Donald Trump and senior White House aides have been issuing repeated messages that the administration’s policy course will not change, regardless of the election outcome. The White House is already preparing ways to advance major policies without congressional approval in anticipation of Democrats taking control of Congress. Analysts say it will be difficult to reverse Trump’s signature policies, including tariffs, the Iran war and immigration, unless Democrats win decisively.
 In a podcast interview with the New York Post’s “Pod Force One,” released on the 1st (local time), President Trump said that if Democrats take control of Congress, “I’ll probably be ‘Mr. Veto.’” He added, “If I exercise the veto for a month or two, at some point we’ll probably negotiate.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also stressed recently that foreign policy would not change even if the balance of power in Congress shifts. Rubio said that Congress plays a role in foreign policy, but that the executive branch is at the center of policymaking, and that the midterm results would not change the direction of President Trump’s foreign policy.
 The White House is also preparing a concrete strategy to respond to a Democratic victory. Reuters reported on the day, citing three people including White House officials, that the Trump administration has been considering ways to use the president’s executive authority since last April in anticipation of the possibility that Democrats could take control of Congress. Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff, and Russell Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), are reportedly reviewing policies that could be pursued without congressional approval alongside the White House Counsel’s Office. Measures under consideration include new tariffs on imports of critical minerals and wind turbines, tighter restrictions on foreign students and temporary work visas, and cuts to housing and construction costs.  Vought is especially looking at ways to advance the administration’s policy priorities by using funds already approved by Congress or changing the criteria for federal grant payments. The White House Counsel’s Office is also examining the legal limits of presidential authority and potential legal defenses in anticipation of future lawsuits.
 These moves reflect the reality that the means available to Democrats to change presidential policies would be limited even if they win. Republicans currently hold 218 seats in the United States House of Representatives and 53 seats in the Senate. Democrats would become the majority party in the House if they gain four additional seats. Polls show Democrats leading in the House, while the Senate race is close. Even if Democrats take control of Congress by a narrow margin, it would be difficult to override President Trump’s vetoes. Overriding a veto requires the support of at least two-thirds of both the House and Senate. In other words, simply securing a majority would not be enough to reverse key Trump administration policies through legislation.
 The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 31st of last month that even if Democrats win the midterm elections, the cost-of-living relief Americans hope for is unlikely to materialize. The reason is that Congress has limited influence over the Iran war and tariff policies, which have recently driven prices higher. In fact, President Trump imposed sweeping tariffs worldwide last year without separate congressional approval. Last February, he launched military operations against Iran without congressional approval. The Iran war sent global oil and gasoline prices soaring, intensifying inflationary pressures, but Congress was unable to stop it.
 Under the U.S. Constitution, Congress has the authority to impose tariffs, but it has delegated considerable power to the president over the years. Congressional oversight of military action has likewise weakened as successive presidents expanded unilateral military operations. This means that even if Democrats seek to abolish tariffs or end the war, they could be blocked by President Trump’s veto. Of course, if Democrats take control of the House, they can intensify investigations of the executive branch through hearings and subpoenas. If they also take control of the Senate, they can hold up confirmations of senior officials and federal judges. But these measures are more a way to check President Trump and increase the political costs for him than to change existing policies immediately.
The WSJ noted that over several decades, the authority to make U.S. policy has shifted from Congress to the executive branch. The analysis is that even if Democrats ultimately win the midterm elections, the White House and Congress are more likely to see their conflict intensify than to see President Trump’s policy course change.


[email protected] Correspondent Lee Byeong-cheol Reporter