Democrats Control Congress. What Can They Actually Do About Trump?

The midterms have changed Washington. Democrats have secured majorities in both chambers of Congress, but Donald Trump remains president. So what can they actually do? Not what campaign slogans promise. What does the Constitution allow?

Investigate, but prove the case

Congress can hold hearings, subpoena records and witnesses, and examine government spending, immigration enforcement, conflicts of interest and executive decisions. Subpoenas can face court challenges. An investigation is not a conviction, and Congress cannot prosecute criminal cases.

Follow the money

Congress controls appropriations and can negotiate or refuse new spending legislation. But existing legal obligations still matter, and a president can veto bills. Government shutdowns have real consequences for workers and services. Accountability should not become an excuse to hurt the people government serves.

Block nominees

A Democratic Senate can reject many presidential nominees, including federal judges and Cabinet officials. Not every executive employee needs Senate confirmation, and temporary appointment rules complicate the picture, but this is a substantial check on the White House.

Impeachment is not removal

The House can impeach by a simple majority. Removal requires a two-thirds Senate vote of those present. If all 100 senators vote, that means 67 votes. A 54-member Democratic-aligned caucus would need at least 13 additional senators to convict. Evidence and constitutional standards matter more than political anger.

Executive orders, courts and legislation

Congress cannot cancel an executive order by declaration. It can pass laws within its authority, oversee agencies, and challenge policies through the legislative process. Courts independently decide whether executive action violates law. Trump’s veto and Senate procedural rules can limit what a congressional majority achieves.

Healthcare and everyday costs

Democrats can propose changes to healthcare, benefits and costs, but a majority does not guarantee a law. Most legislation faces Senate procedural hurdles, and the president can veto bills. Watch the actual text of proposals, their funding and their effects, not just the press conferences.

What should we measure?

When the new Congress convenes in January 2027, watch which hearings produce evidence, whether oversight findings are published, how nominees are handled, and whether legislation improves people’s lives. Republicans can argue that investigations are partisan; Democrats can argue they are essential oversight. The public should judge each case by its evidence and results.

Accountability is not revenge

I’m Gen X. I’ve watched politicians from both parties promise to fix Washington while the rest of us keep working, paying bills and trying to live. The Constitution is not a weapon belonging to whoever won the last election. Investigate where evidence warrants it. Prosecute where the law supports it. Negotiate when cooperation helps people.

Nobody should be above the law. And nobody should be treated as guilty just because their opponents say so.

Winning an election is not the same as earning continued trust. When the cheering stops, we still have a country to live in. I’d rather have a functioning democracy than another season of political theater.

FindMeRaw | Raw. Real. Follow the evidence.

Sources and further reading

Associated Press election coverage · U.S. Constitution, National Archives · Constitution Annotated, Congress