Trump becomes a lame duck president
Ducks have a reason to celebrate in Washington on Wednesday, after residents in the US capital voted to ban the force feeding of birds and the sale of foie gras. There is, however, one rather important duck – albeit a lame one – sitting in the White House with a lot less reason to cheer. After two years of almost unbridled power, President Donald Trump has had his wings severely clipped in the US…
On Wednesday, Washington residents celebrated the banning of force feeding of ducks and the sale of foie gras. However, one duck remains in the White House with less reason to cheer. President Donald Trump's once-unbridled power has been severely diminished in the US midterm elections. Democrats have secured full control of Congress and made significant gains, far surpassing expectations.
Republican losses are significant, with Kansas voting for a Democratic senator for the first time since 1932, Texas electing its first Democratic senator since 1988, and Lindsey Graham's South Carolina Senate seat going to a Democrat. Iowa, traditionally a Republican stronghold, also voted for a Democratic senator.
The Democrats aim to assert their authority over the Middle East, particularly in relation to the ongoing war with Iran. This conflict has defined the midterms, with the Strait of Hormuz disruption leading to price increases that infuriated American voters. Democrats argue that Trump had no right to launch the war without congressional authorization and intend to use the War Powers Resolution to force him to seek approval or end US military involvement.
With control of Congress, Democrats will likely summon Trump administration officials to testify under oath and launch investigations into the war's planning and execution. They will grill officials like Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on the war's cost, the intelligence behind the decision to attack Iran, and the protection of US Gulf allies and Israel's role.
Despite Democrats' victories, they remain unpopular with about half the country. The party must decide how much time to spend litigating the Trump administration's foreign policy decisions versus drafting legislation to address America's cost of living crisis. Even as a "lame duck" president, Trump retains the power of the veto and can accomplish much through executive orders, including matters of national security. Trump may not be as politically powerful as before but is not yet ready to leave office.
Written by urgent.news from The National Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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