President Donald Trump said he might have to become “Mr. Veto” if Democrats secure a majority in Tuesday’s midterm elections, according to remarks made during a New York Post podcast interview with Miranda Devine, a preview of which aired on Fox News on Sunday. The full episode is scheduled to release on Monday.
“They’ll be sending stuff up, you veto it,” he said in the *Pod Force One* podcast preview. “Eventually, after a month or two of getting all vetoed — you know, it’s just waste — they come over and make a deal.”
The comment marks a rare acknowledgment by Trump that his party could lose the midterm elections. It comes ahead of his scheduled rallies in Kansas and Iowa. Polls suggest that the president's unpopularity could help Democrats win control of at least one chamber of Congress, if not both.
What are Midterm Elections?
{{/usCountry}}The comment marks a rare acknowledgment by Trump that his party could lose the midterm elections. It comes ahead of his scheduled rallies in Kansas and Iowa. Polls suggest that the president's unpopularity could help Democrats win control of at least one chamber of Congress, if not both.
What are Midterm Elections?
{{/usCountry}}Deep Dive
What did Trump mean when he said he might become “Mr. Veto”?
Can US midterm elections remove Trump from office?
How could Democrats winning Congress limit Trump’s agenda?
While general elections in the US are held every two years, polls that take place halfway through a president's four-year term are known as midterms. This year's midterm elections are scheduled for the November 3. They determine the composition of Congress, with elections held across all states and territories at the same time. Midterm primary elections, held earlier in the year, determine the candidates who will contest the seats.
The midterm elections are a face-off between the two major US political parties— Democrats and Republicans. The two parties compete for control of Congress. The outcome is significant as the winning party can secure a majority in the legislature, which has the power to enact laws, declare war and exercise other key functions.
The party in the White House typically seeks to win majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives allowing the president to push his legislative agenda through Congress.
Polls point to possible Democratic gains in Congress
Most polls indicate that Democrats are poised to gain the three seats needed to take control of the House, while growing optimism within the party about its Senate prospects comes as seven races remain closely contested.
“Hopefully we don’t have to worry about that,” Trump said in the podcast, indicating that he remains hopeful that Republicans will retain control of Congress despite polls suggesting otherwise.
The president has been campaigning extensively in an effort to strengthen Republican chances of retaining control of Congress. He has been travelling to states traditionally considered Republican strongholds, where the party now faces a tougher path amid voter concerns over the high cost of living and the war in Iran.
Republican strategists, however, say their internal data suggests a tighter Senate contest, with several key races still considered toss-ups or within reach, according to a Bloomberg report. Trump, meanwhile, has continued to tout what he calls the “greatest economy in history” and dismiss polls, claiming they fail to accurately capture Republican support.
In another clip from the interview, Trump said he would “love to run again if I had the chance, but the language is very exacting”, referring to the Constitution.
The 22nd Amendment to the US Constitution prohibits anyone from being elected president more than twice.
(With inputs from Bloomberg)