President Donald Trump has revealed how he intends to maintain control over his legislative agenda if Democrats seize both chambers of Congress in Tuesday’s midterm elections, warning that he is prepared to block their proposals until they agree to negotiate.
In an interview with the New York Post’s Miranda Devine for her Pod Force One podcast, Trump laid out a straightforward strategy for dealing with a potentially hostile Congress.
“I guess I’ll become Mr. Veto,” the president declared. “I’m not going to let them ruin it.”
The remarks come as Republicans fight to retain their narrow congressional majorities ahead of the November 3 elections, with several closely contested races threatening to reshape Washington’s balance of power.
Trump acknowledged that Democratic control of Congress could complicate his administration’s agenda. However, he insisted that his presidential veto would give him considerable leverage over legislation.
His strategy would involve repeatedly rejecting Democratic proposals until congressional leaders were willing to negotiate.
“They’ll be sending stuff up. You veto it,” Trump explained. “And eventually, after a month or two of getting all vetoed, they’re just wasting [time], they come over, and you make a deal.”
Despite his combative language, Trump suggested that compromise would eventually become possible.
“And then at some point, we’ll probably make deals,” he said. “That’s what’s happened. I mean, this wouldn’t be the first time.”
The president has considerable experience dealing with divided government.
During the final two years of his first administration, Democrats controlled the House of Representatives while Republicans retained the Senate.
That arrangement created significant obstacles for Democratic legislative priorities, many of which could not advance through both chambers.
Trump issued 10 vetoes during his first term and has vetoed only two bills since returning to office.
But those numbers could change dramatically if Democrats win control of Congress.
The Republican Party currently holds a slim House majority, while the Senate map features several competitive races.
According to the Cook Political Report, Senate contests in Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Ohio and Texas are considered toss-ups, underscoring the uncertainty surrounding control of the upper chamber.
Democrats have also indicated that winning congressional majorities would allow them to intensify investigations into Trump, his administration and political allies.
The president, meanwhile, has continued portraying the elections as a referendum on his policies.
During the interview, Trump criticized Democratic priorities involving gun rights and transgender issues, arguing that Republican victories are necessary to preserve his administration’s accomplishments.
“Look, if we didn’t win — I think we’re going to do great — but if we didn’t win, I’d veto everything,” he said.
“I’ll be vetoing, vetoing.”
Trump also addressed concerns recently raised by billionaire Elon Musk about what Democratic control of Washington could mean for the country’s political future.
Musk warned that a Democratic sweep could leave the United States “maybe forever destroyed.”
Trump agreed with the concerns, suggesting Democrats could pursue statehood for Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico while attempting to expand the Supreme Court and eliminate the Senate filibuster.
Those proposals remain potential political scenarios rather than established outcomes of the upcoming elections.
The president has previously urged Senate Republicans to eliminate the 60-vote legislative filibuster themselves, arguing that Democrats could eventually make that change if they regain power.
Beyond the immediate midterm battle, Trump also reflected on his own political future.
The president acknowledged that Democrats could increasingly describe him as a lame duck during the remaining years of his second term.
He also admitted that he would welcome another presidential campaign if the Constitution allowed it.
“I’d love to run again if I had the chance, but the language is very exacting,” Trump said, referencing the 22nd Amendment’s presidential term limits.
Nevertheless, he emphasized that his administration still has considerable time to pursue its priorities, per the New York Post.
“We have more than two years left. That’s a long time. You can do a lot in that period of time,” he said.
With Election Day approaching, Trump maintained confidence that Republicans could hold both chambers.
But his message was clear: Even if Democrats take Congress, he has no intention of surrendering his legislative influence.
Instead, the president is preparing to use one of the White House’s most powerful constitutional tools to force negotiations and resist legislation he opposes.
Whether that strategy becomes necessary will depend on the outcome of Tuesday’s elections.
