Trump White House maps path to govern without Congress if Democrats win

Key Points:

• President Trump's White House has been preparing for a possible Democratic takeover of Congress by planning to advance key parts of his agenda through executive actions, particularly on immigration, tariffs, housing, and federal spending, without needing congressional approval.
• Senior officials, including Stephen Miller and Russell Vought, have collaborated with the White House Counsel's Office since April to identify legally defensible executive actions and strategies to defend them in court if challenged.
• Despite potential Democratic control, Trump expects to use veto power strategically and is comfortable governing through executive authority, having already employed such powers extensively since January 2025.
• Democrats gaining Congress would enable investigations into Trump's administration and block his legislative agenda, but Trump could still influence federal spending and appointments, though Senate control would limit his judicial nominations.
• The White House is also preparing for congressional investigations by advising officials on handling subpoenas and document requests, and seeking Justice Department opinions to possibly invoke executive privilege to protect certain communications.