Fear of investigations Trump's government gets into position and prepares for the elections
In view of possible losses in the midterm elections, the White House is preparing its staff for stricter controls by Congress. Confidential briefings are intended to prepare officials for investigations and inquiries by a possible Democratic majority.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- White House lawyers are training staff for possible investigations by a Democratic-dominated Congress.
- The background to this are growing concerns about Republican losses in the mid-term elections.
- President Trump is already publicly warning of new investigations and possible impeachment proceedings.
The White House is preparing its staff internally for a possible shift in power in Congress after the US midterm elections in November, in which the entire House of Representatives and a third of the seats in the Senate will be redistributed. The Republicans currently still have majorities in both chambers, but only narrowly in the House of Representatives. The Democrats believe they have a good chance of at least regaining control there - and thus gaining significantly more influence to put the brakes on the US President's agenda.
According to information from government circles, the White House legal department conducts confidential briefings in which political officials are briefed on parliamentary investigations and control procedures. The training sessions, which last around half an hour, include presentations on the workings of congressional oversight as well as recommendations for dealing with inquiries and subpoenas. Participants were advised to carefully consider written formulations and to respond to congressional inquiries promptly.
A government representative described the discussions to theWashington Postas "factual" and pointed out that a Republican defeat in the midterms is now considered a realistic scenario. Another official explained that the legal department has been providing guidelines on compliance with parliamentary control rules since January 2025. What is new, however, is the political dimension of the current briefings.
The memory of the first Trump term of office plays a central role here. Back then, the government faced years of subpoenas, testimonies and investigations by the Democratically controlled Congress.
Trump is more unpopular than ever before
There is growing concern within the Trump administration about significant losses in the mid-term elections. This is due to falling approval ratings for President Donald Trump and economic pressure as a result of the Iran war. According to a survey by the Washington Post, ABC News and Ipsos, the Democrats are currently five percentage points ahead of the Republicans when it comes to the preferred party for the House of Representatives.
The President himself is rated poorly by 62 percent of respondents. Neither in his current term of office nor during his first four years in the White House did Trump achieve such poor approval ratings. The president is losing support significantly, particularly on economic issues. 76% of respondents are dissatisfied with Trump's handling of the rising cost of living in the USA. Higher fuel prices as a result of the Iran war are also having a negative impact
Trump himself has acknowledged his party's difficult starting position several times recently, reports theNew York Times. At the same time, he has publicly warned of the political consequences of a defeat: if the Republicans lose the midterm elections, they will try to impeach him again, the president said back in January.
