President Trump said on November 3, 2026, that he is ready to veto Democratic legislation if Democrats win a majority in the House or Senate. In an exclusive phone interview before polls closed, he said, “I have the ultimate power — it's called 'veto,'” and welcomed the label “Mr. Veto.”
He tied that threat to the midterm vote, saying he expects a Democratic Congress could meet a presidential veto if necessary. Trump also said, “Historically, you veto for a couple of months and then they come and say, 'We've got to make a deal,'” signaling that he sees the power as a bargaining tool, not just a last resort.
Trump v. Slaughter
Trump paired the veto warning with a broader claim about executive authority. He cited Trump v. Slaughter, a Supreme Court decision earlier this year that allowed him to fire Rebecca Slaughter, a member of the Federal Trade Commission, and said, “We won the Slaughter case and the Slaughter case gives the president tremendous powers that it never had before,” linking the ruling to his plans for next year.
That case was a 6-to-3 decision, and Trump said it lets him exert sweeping control over many federal agencies, boards and commissions regardless of who holds majorities in the House and Senate. He added that the presidency is “considered a strong presidency” and said, “You can do a lot.”
House and Senate votes
CBS News said late October polling suggested Republicans could be on track to lose control of the House. Trump responded by saying he believes his veto power could eventually force Democrats to cut bipartisan deals with him if they win either chamber, making vetoes part of the leverage he expects to use next year.
That same interview was updated on November 3, 2026 at 6:49 PM EST. Trump also said he plans to move forward his agenda next year in federal areas with the Supreme Court ruling as part of the foundation for his coming executive actions, while the range of issues under discussion included immigration and trade.
White House in recent weeks
Two people close to Trump said discussions over executive actions have taken place at the White House in recent weeks, with Stephen Miller and Russell Vought central in those talks. One person close to the president said Trump will keep the power to do almost everything he wants next year on trade, the border, managing the federal government and handling U.S. foreign policy and national security.
Trump said he did everything he could to help Republicans across the country in recent weeks and said his efforts helped recast the elections as something more competitive. The immediate question now is which Democratic measure would reach his desk first if Democrats take control of the House, the Senate, or both.
