President Donald Trump has set the stage for his administration to lurch further to the right despite a decisive midterm defeat, claiming the US took a “giant step back” and saying it would be back “bigger and stronger than ever before”. Hardline aide Stephen Miller will begin as White House chief of staff on Monday, and Trump has offered UFC CEO and president Dana White the press secretary role.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, Trump cited a sharp sell-off in global markets and told supporters not to fear. “America took a giant step back in History with the results of the last Election,” he wrote. “But have no fear, we will be back, BIGGER AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!”
Republicans lost control of both chambers of Congress in Tuesday’s midterms, with voters expressing frustration with key pillars of Trump’s agenda, including the Iran war and sweeping tariffs. With 33 of 35 Senate races called, Democrats had won 54 seats to the Republicans’ 44. Votes are still being counted in Alaska and Mississippi.
Despite the losses, the administration appears set to press ahead with its agenda. Miller’s promotion has stoked expectations that Trump is poised to double down on immigration enforcement, stoke cultural war battles, and refuse concessions to the incoming Democratic majority. “The move signals the administration is going to have a fighting-from-a-bunker approach the last two years,” Dan Eberhart, a Trump donor and energy executive, told Reuters.
Trump announced on Saturday that he had offered White, whom he described as "a violent Fighter and Warrior", the role of press secretary, which has been largely vacant since Karoline Leavitt departed this summer. "Dana will be a Press Secretary like none other," Trump said. "Dana, please take the job!"
Trump also threatened Democrats planning congressional oversight, announcing he had ordered the Justice Department to "look into" them. Attorney General Todd Blanche told CNN's State of the Union that "there could be" investigations, claiming Republicans have faced "dangerous" threats.
Democrats have made clear that Miller and Elon Musk are likely to be targets of congressional investigations. Congressman Robert Garcia of California, set to chair the House oversight committee, said on Sunday that investigations were set to explore Musk’s involvement in the Department of Government Efficiency’s mass firing of federal workers and Miller’s role in immigration enforcement. Representative Jamie Raskin has also requested information on the business dealings of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and son Donald Trump Jr.
Democrats took a victory lap this weekend. New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani told Fox News that candidates won after running on policies to "change working peoples' lives", adding: "We are seeing a moment in time where working class Americans have made very clear that they are tired of waiting."
But friction has emerged within the party over incoming leadership, with Chuck Schumer set to become Senate majority leader and Hakeem Jeffries expected to become House speaker. Senator-elect Adam Hamilton of Kansas, the first Democrat the state has sent to the Senate in almost a century, told NBC's Meet the Press that Schumer is a "kind of polarizing figure", adding: "It feels like it is a time for fresh and new ideas, and somebody who can unite us instead of dividing us."
In a Saturday Night Live skit, a cast member impersonated Trump attacking James Talarico, the Democrat who ran for Senate in Texas, calling him "Talafreako", only for Talarico himself to walk on stage. "That's senator Talafreako," he said, after becoming the first Democrat to win statewide office in Texas since 1994.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Trump's appointment of hardliner Stephen Miller suggests he will escalate immigration enforcement and cultural wars, potentially leading to executive actions that challenge the new Democratic Congress.
- The offer to Dana White as press secretary signals a confrontational media strategy, likely amplifying partisan messaging and reducing traditional press access.
- Democrats' plans to investigate Musk and Miller could trigger a high-profile showdown between the executive and legislative branches, shaping the political landscape for the 2028 election cycle.
Background
Trump's Democrats won control of both the House and Senate in the November 2026 midterm elections, rejecting key elements of Trump's second-term agenda including the Iran war and tariff policies. The final Senate count shows Democrats with 54 seats to Republicans' 44, with two races still outstanding. The shift gives Democrats oversight powers and legislative initiative starting January 2027, while Trump retains veto authority and executive powers for the remainder of his term.
Key Perspectives
Donald Trump: Claims the US took a "giant step back" in the election but promises to return "bigger and stronger than ever before"; has ordered the Justice Department to investigate Democrats planning oversight.
Dan Eberhart (Trump donor and energy executive): Says Miller's promotion signals a "fighting-from-a-bunker approach" for the last two years of Trump's term.
Robert Garcia (Democratic congressman): Says investigations will explore Musk's role in mass firings and Miller's role in immigration crackdown.
Zohran Mamdani (New York City mayor): Says Democratic wins reflect working-class Americans "tired of waiting" while the world's first trillionaire emerged.
Adam Hamilton (Senator-elect, Kansas): Says Schumer is a "polarizing figure" and it is "time for fresh and new ideas".
What to Watch
- Whether Miller's appointment leads to new executive orders on immigration or deportation, testing Democratic willingness to use budget powers.
- The outcome of the Alaska and Mississippi Senate races, which could shift the final party balance or trigger legal challenges.
- The scope and pace of House oversight hearings into Musk and Miller, and whether the White House resists subpoenas.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 9 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedTrump’s administration is set to press ahead after Republicans lost the midterms.World news | The Guardian: “Despite Republicans losing control of both chambers of US Congress in Tuesday’s decisive US midterm elections ... the administration appears set to press ahead.”
- Partly supportedTrump said the US took a “giant step back.”World news | The Guardian: ““America took a giant step back in History with the results of the last Election,” Trump claimed”
- SupportedRepublicans lost control of both chambers of Congress.World news | The Guardian: “Despite Republicans losing control of both chambers of US Congress in Tuesday’s decisive US midterm elections”
- SupportedStephen Miller will begin as White House chief of staff on Monday.World news | The Guardian: “The US president’s hardline aide, Stephen Miller, will begin as White House chief of staff on Monday.”
- SupportedTrump offered Dana White the press secretary role.World news | The Guardian: “He will also meet with Dana White, CEO and president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, after offering him the job of press secretary.”
- Partly supportedTrump’s post cited a sharp sell-off in global markets and told supporters not to fear.World news | The Guardian: “Trump claimed in a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday morning, citing the sharp sell-off in global markets ... “But have no fear, we will be back, BIGGER AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!””
- Partly supportedEberhart said, “The move signals the administration is going to have a fighting-from-a-bunker approach the last two years.”World news | The Guardian: “The move “signals the administration is going to have a fighting-from-a-bunker approach the last two years”, Dan Eberhart, a Trump donor and energy executive, told Reuters.”
- SupportedWith 33 of 35 Senate races called, Democrats had won 54 seats and Republicans 44.World news | The Guardian: “With 33 of 35 Senate races called, the Democrats had won 54 seats to the Republicans’ 44.”
- SupportedGarcia said investigations would explore Musk’s role in DOGE’s mass federal-worker firings and Miller’s role in immigration enforcement.World news | The Guardian: “investigations are set to explore Musk’s involvement in the Department of Government Efficiency’s mass firing of federal workers last year, and Miller’s role in Trump’s immigration crackdown.”
- SupportedMamdani said candidates won after running on policies to “change working peoples' lives,” and said working-class Americans were tired of waiting.World news | The Guardian: “Democratic candidates won after running on policies that would “change working peoples’ lives”, New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani told Fox News on Sunday. “We are seeing a moment in time where working class Americans have made very clear that they are tired of waiting,” said Mamdani.”
- SupportedHamilton called Schumer “a kind of polarizing figure” and said it was time for fresh ideas and someone who could unite Democrats.World news | The Guardian: “Senator-elect Adam Hamilton of Kansas ... told NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday the Schumer is a “kind of polarizing figure” adding: “It feels like it is a time for fresh and new ideas, and somebody who can unite us instead of dividing us.””
- SupportedTalarico said, “That’s senator Talafreako,” after becoming the first Democrat to win statewide office in Texas since 1994.World news | The Guardian: ““That’s senator Talafreako,” he said, to loud cheers, after becoming the first Democrat to win statewide office in Texas since 1994 .”