President Donald Trump said on Monday that he would find ways to work with Democrats if Republicans lose control of the House of Representatives in next week’s midterm elections. He said that divided government has worked before and pointed to the president’s veto power as a key tool.
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Trump points to veto power under possible divided government
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Trump was asked how he would govern if Democrats captured the House despite his campaign efforts.
Trump said he hoped Republicans would retain control of the House but argued that presidents have previously governed under divided government and still reached agreements with the opposition.
“We’ll figure a way,” Trump said.
He also highlighted the constitutional authority of the president to veto legislation passed by Congress. “I have a strong veto. I hope that won’t be the case, but if it is, that’s happened before,” Trump said.
Under the US Constitution, legislation approved by both the House and Senate must be signed by the president to become law. Congress can override a presidential veto only with a two-thirds majority in both chambers, making the veto a powerful negotiating tool during periods of divided government.
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Trump reiterates election integrity position
Trump also repeated his long-standing position on election integrity when asked whether he would accept the election results.
Asked separately whether he would respect the election results regardless of the outcome, Trump replied, “I will, if they’re honest elections.”
Trump has consistently argued that US elections should include stronger safeguards and has frequently questioned election administration in previous campaigns. Election officials, however, have maintained that US elections are subject to extensive security measures and auditing processes. Courts have also rejected numerous allegations from the Trump administration of widespread fraud in previous elections, including the 2020 presidential election.
The outcome of next week’s elections will determine whether Republicans retain unified control of Congress or whether Democrats gain the ability to investigate the administration, influence spending legislation and shape Trump’s domestic agenda through House committees.