US midterms will shape tech policy and Trump’s final two years

The 2026 midterm elections will shape how much power President Donald Trump’s party has in his final two years in office and offer a signal of voters’ priorities ahead of the 2028 presidential race. Affordability is expected to dominate, but the result will also influence how Congress handles issues affecting the technology industry.

Voters are weighing concerns over data centres and energy costs, AI safety, and the spread of Flock surveillance technology. In California, a proposed wealth tax on billionaires has prompted heavy technology-sector spending and efforts by executives to structure their shares to make leaving the state harder. The election outcome on 3 November will help determine the next Congress’s approach to these issues and which technology leaders may be called to testify.