Alwaght- As vote opens, millions of Americans head to the polling stations to decide the fate of one of the most consequential congressional midterm elections in memory.
Trump's controversial domestic and foreign policy agenda has fueled a deepening polarization in American society in recent years, to the point where many, including prominent American commentators, see him as a threat to American democracy, while his MAGA faithful cast him as the country's savior.
In such a situation, a potential Democratic victory in the midterms, capturing a majority in the House or Senate, could restore some of the political power and influence the party lost during Donald Trump's presidency. Such a shift would not only hand Democrats broader oversight and investigative tools but also give them leverage over the budget process, federal spending, and even some of the Trump administration's policies.
With a majority in hand, Democrats could launch sweeping investigations into the Trump administration's conduct, challenge some of the president's executive changes, and even push for regulations in areas such as artificial intelligence, limits Trump has opposed.
While House Democrats would likely pass a slate of partisan bills to spotlight their policy priorities, turning those initiatives into enforceable law would require clearing numerous political and legal hurdles, especially given Trump's vow to wield the presidential veto against congressional legislation.
Reacting last week to the prospect of facing a Democratic-controlled Congress, Trump said: "What's going to happen is I'm going to veto everything, and then the Democrats are going to come and want to make a deal."
From that dimension, Democrats would have to pursue avenues such as annual appropriations bills to advance any legislative initiative, and in some cases cut deals with Republicans, particularly in the Senate, since they are not expected to muster the supermajority (two-thirds after a presidential veto) needed to pass many proposals without backing from a number of Republican senators.
A CNN report examines the key powers Democrats would gain if they win a majority in the House or and how they could use those levers to pressure the Trump administration.
Living costs and inflation: most important political rivalry scene
The squeeze on household finances and rising living costs were among the forces that eroded voter support for former President Joe Biden. Now the same issue threatens to become one of Donald Trump's most damaging political vulnerabilities, and could reshape the Republicans' standing in the midterms.
Democrats have pledged to make bringing down the cost of living a top priority. The Trump administration's policies are squarely to blame for the surge in living costs, both the escalating trade war with other countries, China in particular, which triggered retaliatory tariffs on imported goods and drove prices higher, and the push toward war with Iran, which saw the Strait of Hormuz closed and the crisis spill over into the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, setting off an energy crunch and fuel inflation.
Still, Democrats are unlikely to win enough seats to override a presidential veto, meaning any effort to roll back Trump's tariffs or end the war with Iran will require support from at least some Republicans.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has announced that his party will form task forces to examine ways to lower prices in five key areas of, housing, health care, care services for those in need, fuel and utilities, food and consumer goods.
He also named three immediate Democratic goals which are ending the war to bring down energy prices, reversing cuts to health insurance programs for low-income Americans, and scrapping Trump's tariffs.
Iran war: Congress limits to the Trump's war powers
Ending the war with Iran is likely to rank among the top priorities the new congressional majority pursues, yet forcing Trump to halt military operations will run into obstacles of its own.
Under the USWar Powers Act, prolonged military operations require congressional authorization. But neutralizing a potential presidential veto would take a two-thirds Senate majority, 67 votes, a threshold that makes clear Democrats will have to court support from a number of Republicans to move such a measure forward.
Government spending bill: Democrats' key pressure tool
One of the Democrats' most potent levers of power, should they win a congressional majority, will be oversight of how the federal government spends its money. In effect, the party's ability to pressure Trump and force him to retreat from certain policies depends heavily on whether it can halt, cut, or attach conditions to appropriations.
The federal government needs Congress to pass funding legislation to keep operating, a dynamic that repeatedly triggered political standoffs and partial government shutdowns lasting months during Trump's presidency.
Republicans have already sought to fund the Department of Homeland Security through the end of Trump's term to shield the administration's immigration policies from potential future Democratic interference. Democrats, however, may try to repeal or alter those funding allocations if they take a majority, though they would need more votes to surmount a likely Trump veto.
Likewise, even if Democrats cannot directly change DHS funding, they may use oversight tools and political pressure to shape how the department carries out its policies.
Debt ceiling: A new financial confrontation in Washington
Another flashpoint likely to define the confrontation between the Trump administration and a Democratic Congress is the US debt ceiling.
Republicans, by passing Trump's so-called "One Big Beautiful Bill," raised the federal debt limit by $5 trillion. Democrats, if they win a majority, may nevertheless use debt-ceiling negotiations as leverage to advance their own economic and political demands.
The party will face a serious fiscal challenge of its own, however: repealing or revising some of the tax and spending cuts embedded in that law would require finding substantial revenue. This is difficult even for some Democrats, especially with the national debt having topped $40 trillion.
Healthcare: Return of debate over Obamacare
Boosting health insurance premium subsidies for enrollees under the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare, has been a top Democratic priority for the past two years.
Last fall, a dispute over extending those subsidies triggered an unprecedented 43-day federal government shutdown. At the time, Democrats sought to pressure Republican leaders into renewing the insurance assistance, which was set to expire at the end of 2025.
With the subsidy window now closed, health insurance premiums have jumped 58 percent this year, and several million Americans have lost their coverage.
Making the subsidies permanent, however, would carry a hefty price tag. According to Congressional Budget Office estimates, permanently extending the aid could cost roughly $350 billion over a 10-year period.
Launch extensive probe over Trump administration's performance
If Democrats return to a congressional majority, parliamentary oversight will likely be one of the first and most tangible arenas of confrontation with the Trump administration.
Winning a majority in the House or Senate would give Democrats the power to hold hearings, subpoena administration officials and other relevant figures to testify, and launch sweeping investigations into how federal agencies operate.
One likely focus of those probes would be Trump's moves to shut down, weaken, or restructure agencies whose existence is grounded in acts of Congress. Democrats can scrutinize the legality of those actions, their practical consequences, and how far they square with the president's legal authority.
Actually, even if Democrats cannot change administration policy through legislation, Congress's oversight tools can raise the political and operational cost of Trump's actions, and subject his administration to greater accountability.
Food assistance program, the new challenge to the country
Democrats are also likely to take aim at a provision of the "One Big Beautiful Bill" that overhauled how the food assistance program is financed.
Under the rule, states with high rates of food aid disbursement will be required to shoulder part of the cost. Previously, the federal government covered the full tab, but the mechanism is set to change for many states starting next October.
The regulation has pushed some states to tighten their enrollment processes, eligibility renewals, and documentation and administrative requirements.
According to the Food and Work Research Center, more than 5.5 million people have lost their food assistance benefits since Trump signed the law in July 2025.
Implementing the changes, however, could place significant financial strain on state budgets, particularly as the fuel price crisis and the surge in production and goods costs driven by the Iran war leave many states facing constrained resources. As a result, states may turn to stricter measures to offset the costs, a dynamic that could restrict access to food assistance for even more citizens.
Higher education and student loans: Encounter over educational policies
Another area of partisan friction will be higher education policy and student loan repayment.
Republicans have cut the amount of federal loans available to graduate students and parents, and tightened the terms of student loan repayment plans for many borrowers.
John Wansmith, senior vice president for government relations at the American Council on Education, believes Democrats will try to spotlight the two parties' divergent approaches on the issue. That could come through bills to preserve or restore earlier protective rules—and force Republicans to stake out a position on them, even if Trump ultimately vetoes such measures.
Alongside that, Democrats can launch oversight investigations into the Trump administration's push to dismantle the Department of Education and shift its responsibilities to other federal agencies.
A central focus of those probes could be the fallout from such changes, including their impact on education quality, students' access to educational services, and how they affect the performance of the country's education system.
Social Security and Medicare: A sensitive case with difficult solutions
Despite concerns about the financial future of Social Security and Medicare, Democrats are not expected to put forward a broad legislative initiative next year to address the crisis facing the two programs.
Predictions suggest the trust funds' reserves could be depleted in the early 2030s. Still, neither party appears eager to wade seriously into such a complex and politically fraught issue, at least not until the projected depletion date draws more tangibly near.
Even so, Democrats may introduce bills aimed at shoring up the programs' financial sustainability, seeking to present their approach and proposed solutions to the public, and turn the issue into a central battleground in the political contest with Republicans.
Possible areas of Trump-Democrats cooperation
Despite the deep rift between Trump and the Democrats, some issues could still provide room for limited cooperation between the two sides.
Jeffries drew criticism from some members of his own party after meeting earlier this year with Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, to discuss possible areas of cooperation. The talks covered issues including housing and criminal justice reform.
Housing in particular may be one of the few areas where a bipartisan deal is achievable. Trump has also previously discussed housing and infrastructure projects with New York's Democratic mayor, Zohran Mamdani.
The experience of Trump's first term shows such cooperation is not impossible. Back then, the administration's most significant bipartisan legislative achievement was the passage of the so-called First Step Act, aimed at reforming the criminal justice system.
That law came together in the months after Democrats retook control of the House in the midterms during Trump's first term, with members of both parties on board.
Generally, a potential Democratic return to a congressional majority could upend the balance of power in Washington. Under such a scenario, parliamentary oversight, control of the budget, and political investigations would become the chief tools for restraining the administration, though partisan divisions and the president's veto power would remain a major obstacle to fundamental change.
