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Veto or deals: Can Trump find a way to work with Democrats?
Democrats won majorities in both chambers of Congress in the US midterm elections, ending the Republicans’ control of the House and Senate during Donald Trump’s presidency. Trump has said he is willing to work with Democrats rather than spend the next two years vetoing legislation, but the shift in power is likely to make passing laws difficult.
With at least 253 of 435 House seats and 54 of 100 Senate seats, Democrats lack the two-thirds majorities needed to override presidential vetoes. Trump can also rely on executive orders: he has issued 292 since taking office in January 2025, according to the Federal Register. Some Democrats, including newly elected Michigan senator Abdul El-Sayed and Bernie Sanders, have expressed interest in cooperation on healthcare and other issues, though analysts say broad agreements such as Medicare for All are unlikely.
In short
- Democrats now control both chambers of Congress.
- Trump can veto bills, and Democrats lack votes to override.
- Cooperation may be possible on some healthcare issues.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Cooperation could let the president and Congress make practical progress on issues where their priorities overlap, such as healthcare, even if neither side can secure everything it wants. Negotiating legislation may also give voters more durable policy than governing through executive orders, which a later president can reverse.
The case against
With the parties divided, deals may require each side to dilute priorities that voters sent it to pursue, and sweeping proposals such as Medicare for All may have little chance of passing. Democrats could argue that their congressional majority should provide meaningful scrutiny and a clear alternative to Trump’s agenda, rather than lend bipartisan legitimacy to compromises that fall short.
Explained simply
The US Congress has two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Together with the president, Congress makes federal laws, approves spending and oversees the government; control of its chambers can shift in midterm elections, held halfway through a president’s four-year term.
A president can veto a bill passed by Congress, while Congress can override that veto only with a two-thirds vote in both chambers. When the president and Congress are controlled by different parties, passing laws can become harder, though they may still find agreement on particular issues.
Presidents can also issue executive orders directing how the federal government carries out its work, but these do not replace laws passed by Congress. Healthcare is one area where some Democrats have signalled interest in cooperation, although proposals such as Medicare for All would require broad political support to become law.