Analysis.. What is likely to happen if the Democrats regain control of Congress?

Analysis by Ofoq News colleagues Tammy Lohby and Zachary Wolf - If the Democrats are able to win control of the House of Representatives or the Senate in the midterm elections, they will have regained part of the reins of power in Washington from President Donald Trump and the Republican Party. They will have new and effective tools to monitor and investigate the Trump administration. They will also have an influential role in the government spending file, and they may obtain a mandate to cancel some of the changes imposed by Trump, or push for artificial intelligence regulations that he opposed.

Although House Democrats may introduce a number of partisan bills to highlight their priorities, there are limits to what they can actually achieve. Maintaining unity and determination will also require a great effort, especially since Trump - who is prohibited by the Constitution from seeking a third term - may not show a willingness to cooperate with the Democrats to ensure the government’s continued work.

“What's going to happen is I'm going to veto everything, and then the Democrats will come in wanting to make a deal,” Trump said last week, speaking about the possibility of working with a Democratic-controlled Congress. Any measures that Democrats actually want to turn into law will likely have to be included in must-pass legislation, such as annual appropriations bills.

This requires negotiation with Republicans - at least in the Senate - as Democrats are not expected to obtain enough seats in that chamber to pass laws without GOP votes. Here's a look at some of the powers Democrats might gain if they take control of the House or Senate, and what they could do with them.

Cost of Living The affordability crisis and inflation were the two factors that pushed voters to turn against former President Joe Biden, and those same factors may end up pushing voters to turn against Trump. Democrats promise a new focus on affordability, but their options may be severely limited with Trump in office. There is little chance of them obtaining a majority that would enable them to override his veto power.

This means that any effort to reduce the tariffs imposed by Trump, or end his war on Iran, will require cooperation from Republicans. Hakeem Jeffries, the most prominent Democratic figure in the House of Representatives, stated that his party is forming working groups to discuss ways to reduce prices in five areas: housing, health care, care services, fuel and public utilities, and goods and foodstuffs.

Jeffries identified three immediate goals: But, again, these steps would require approval from Trump, which is unlikely. The power to control the budget will be the Democrats' leverage.

The Democrats' main strength is the issue of spending taxpayer money, which means that their leverage to force Trump to make certain decisions will be through the threat of withdrawing funding. Trump will need legislation from Congress to ensure the government continues to operate, though he has already seen several long and unpopular funding cuts during his presidency.

Republicans sought to protect Trump's immigration policy from Democrats by agreeing to fund the Department of Homeland Security until the end of his term. Democrats may try to eliminate this funding, but they will likely lack the votes needed to override Trump's veto, and they may have little control over how the abundantly funded Department of Homeland Security conducts its business.

Another confrontation over the public debt ceiling is expected. Republicans raised the debt ceiling by $5 trillion when they passed Trump's law - which he described as a "big, beautiful bill"; This tax cut law has already added a huge amount to the national debt.

It is expected that the need to raise the debt ceiling will arise again by 2027. Democrats will likely use their power over financing to block or stop Trump’s projects in Washington, D.C.; These are projects that Trump believes are necessary to beautify the capital, while Democrats consider them merely show projects aimed at satisfying his ego.

Perhaps this is the reason why the Trump administration is rushing to implement proposals such as the “Arc de Triomphe” and the world-class golf course, the construction of which it seeks to finance with taxpayer money. In contrast, Democrats will face the fact that eliminating or modifying some of the broad cuts included in that “big, beautiful project” will require huge costs; It is a daunting challenge - even for many in their camp - at a time when the national debt has exceeded the $40 trillion mark.

Health Care Continuing to provide enhanced subsidies to Affordable Care Act participants has been a top priority for Democrats over the past two years. They shut down the government for a record 43 days last fall, seeking to pressure GOP leaders to extend this more generous aid, which expires at the end of 2025.

The expiration of the enhanced financial support led to a 58% rise in insurance premiums this year, prompting millions of people to abandon their insurance coverage. However, the cost alone poses a huge challenge; The cost of extending this support permanently could reach $350 billion over a decade, according to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office.

As for reversing the historic cuts in the Medicaid program - included in the Republican Party law - Democrats will have to determine the measures on which they will focus their efforts. The federal work requirement, a first-time measure, is expected to result in the greatest loss of insurance coverage; But eliminating this requirement, which is scheduled to take effect on January 1 in most states, will require a major political effort.

Democrats may seek to postpone or relax some provisions of the law and regulations, especially those related to self-certification, fragile health conditions, and taxes on medical providers. This does not mean that Democrats will sit idly by while Medicaid cuts take effect; They are expected to closely monitor the implementation of these provisions, and to highlight their implications for subscribers and other American citizens, as well as hospitals, states, and others.

They are also likely to press the Trump administration for more details about the “most favored nation” agreements it has struck with drug companies. Trump seeks to legalize these agreements, but there are many questions about their details, and whether they have actually contributed to reducing costs for patients.

Although a number of progressive Democratic candidates have promoted the “Medicare for All” proposal during their election campaigns, the Democratic Caucus should not be expected to move forward with expanding Medicare to more Americans in the next parliamentary session. Investigations Oversight is likely to be one of the most immediate and visible consequences of any Democratic control of the House or Senate; Obtaining a majority gives them the power to call hearings and issue subpoenas for witnesses.

It can be expected that Democrats will launch investigations targeting Elon Musk; There are still many questions about the so-called “Ministry of Government Efficiency,” which he launched with Trump’s blessing. Contracts awarded to Musk's companies may also be subject to scrutiny and review.

Trump's efforts to filibuster agencies created by Congress — such as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Department of Education — are likely to come under serious scrutiny by lawmakers. The same applies to the activities that Trump's children engaged in to achieve financial profits during their father's presidency. Trump made more than $1 billion from cryptocurrencies at a time when he could have regulated the sector.

His more controversial policies - such as the option of war with Iran, mass deportations, and imposition of tariffs - will also be put under the microscope. Members of his administration — such as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullen, and Attorney General Todd Blanche — will have to allocate more time in their schedules to participate in public hearings, while their departments and agencies will face intense scrutiny by congressional committees.

War on Iran There will be bipartisan support for ending the war, but forcing Trump to abandon this effort will be complicated. While the War Powers Act ostensibly requires congressional approval for any long-term military action, Trump has found ways to circumvent these provisions.

Moreover, overriding Trump's veto would require 67 votes, which would require support from Republicans. Republicans will face enormous pressure to approve a massive war financing bill during the post-election transition period and before new lawmakers take office in January.

The question of Pentagon funding — and whether spending bills can be used to control war policy — will emerge as a major issue. If the war remains popularly rejected, it will be difficult for Trump to continue to ignore pressure coming from Congress and public opinion.

Areas in which Trump might cooperate with Democrats Jeffries faced some criticism from within the Democratic Party when he met this year with Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, to discuss issues that the two parties could work on together. They touched on housing issues and criminal justice system reform. The housing issue, in particular, is a negotiable area between Democrats and Republicans.

Trump himself also held talks with Zahran Mamdani, a member of the New York City Council (Democrat), about housing and infrastructure projects. During his first term, Trump's most notable achievement that received bipartisan support was the passage of the First Step Act, an initiative that brought together Democrats and Republicans in the months after Democrats regained control of the House of Representatives during the midterm elections under Trump.