Democrats vow to rein in Trump as Jeffries sets the agenda: cost of living and accountability

Democrats vowed to use their victory in Tuesday's elections to rein in President Donald Trump, in a Congress they will control in both chambers for the first time in his second term, according to the Reuters news agency.

In the Senate, Democrats won a majority of at least 54-44, after flipping seven seats, and in the House they gained at least 30 seats, with NBC News projecting 258 Democratic seats to 177 Republican seats. Two Senate races, in Alaska and Mississippi, remained uncalled on Wednesday and could widen the Democratic majority to 56-44.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, on track to become the first Black speaker of the House, said Wednesday that the incoming majority would focus on affordability and accountability. "We don't work for Donald Trump," said Jeffries, a New York lawmaker. "We work for the American people. And the days of the House of Representatives functioning like a wholly owned subsidiary of the Trump administration are over."

Trump spent his first public appearance after the defeat showing reporters the ballroom he is building at the White House, devoting only a moment to the elections. "I'll get along probably with the Democrats, unless they want to be destructive, but I have the power of the veto," the president said, according to Reuters.

Vice President JD Vance blamed the defeat on the war with Iran: "The reason we lost is the war," he wrote on social media. The loss also upended Republican leadership: House Speaker Mike Johnson announced he will not continue leading his caucus next year. As A Lo Claro reported, Trump had already accepted the results and warned he will veto what he considers a partial count.

Photo: ASEAN Now

Source: Reuters