The Democratic Party has won control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives in the US midterm elections, according to Al Jazeera, delivering a result the outlet describes as a striking upset. Democrats have secured 53 Senate seats and are leading in three more in the 100-seat chamber, while the Associated Press reported that the party had also crossed the 218-seat threshold needed for a House majority. Al Jazeera notes that this is the first time since Barack Obama's second term that a sitting president has entered the second half of his term without either chamber of Congress on his side.
Several contests remain too close to call, and Al Jazeera reports that final results may not be settled for days. Even so, Democratic figures have already framed the outcome as a rebuke of President Donald Trump, who has himself acknowledged that his opponents ran a stronger campaign than his own party.
Why it matters
Control of Congress gives Democrats leverage over legislation, government spending and the confirmation of presidential appointments, and it hands them the committee gavels that drive congressional investigations. Al Jazeera reports that the party campaigned on ending the war on Iran, lowering the cost of living and holding the Trump administration to account over alleged abuses of power.
Delivering on those pledges will be difficult. The House and Senate must both pass a bill before a president can sign it, and Trump has signalled he intends to use his veto freely, telling a podcast on Monday, according to Al Jazeera, "I'll veto everything." Overriding a veto requires two-thirds majorities in both chambers, which would mean persuading Republicans to break ranks.
What a Senate majority unlocks
The Senate's exclusive powers are central to what Democrats can now do. Al Jazeera reports that the chamber alone can confirm or reject Trump's nominees to senior posts, giving Democrats the ability to block allies put forward as ambassadors, cabinet secretaries and federal judges, including Supreme Court justices.
Majority status also puts Democrats in charge of Senate committees, which can open investigations, compel documents and call witnesses. Senator Richard Blumenthal, currently the ranking Democrat on the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, is expected to chair it following the vote. He told Reuters in September, before the election, that Democrats would use their subpoena authority, saying: "We will use our subpoena power, absolutely."
The Senate would also hold any impeachment trial if the House were to impeach a president or senior official. Trump was impeached twice during his first term, in 2019 and 2021, and the Senate acquitted him both times. No president has ever been removed from office through that process.
Investigations may be the sharpest tool
Laura Blessing, a senior fellow at Georgetown University's Government Affairs Institute, told Al Jazeera by email that oversight is where a Democratic-led Congress will be most active, predicting it will consume the most time and attention by a wide margin. Al Jazeera reports that Democratic senators have already begun preparing, sending letters to companies and government departments asking them to preserve records. Those requests have touched on subjects including private donations Trump sought for a White House ballroom and allegations of politically motivated investigations.
Congressional inquiries do not need White House approval, and Al Jazeera notes that Trump's family has spent the past two years expanding its business interests into areas including cryptocurrency, drones, artificial intelligence and prediction markets. Financial disclosure forms released this year put the rise in Trump's personal wealth at an estimated $2.2bn.
Cooperation is not assured. Al Jazeera reports that administration officials could contest Senate subpoenas in court, potentially delaying inquiries by months or years. Blessing told the outlet she does not expect the president's immediate family to appear in response to a subpoena, but said there are many other potential witnesses, including government employees and people working for organisations tied to Trump's inner circle. Evidence of possible crimes could be referred to prosecutors, though Al Jazeera notes that the decision to bring charges would rest with Trump's Justice Department.
What to watch: whether the remaining uncalled races widen the Democratic margin, and how quickly the administration moves to challenge subpoenas in court.
