Donald Trump has acknowledged defeat in the midterm elections, but he isn’t holding back from sending pointed messages to the Democrats, who scored a sweeping victory that reshapes the political balance in the United States.
The American president said he accepts the outcome at the ballot box, while insisting that had his own name appeared on the ballots, the result would have been different. Shortly afterward, he posted on social media an image of a Maga-style cap bearing the words “Mr Veto,” a reference to the presidential power to block legislation passed by Congress.
The White House then doubled down, publishing on X a photograph of Trump in the Oval Office, his expression stern, fists planted on the desk. The caption, aimed squarely at his political opponents, read: “Public service announcement: he’s still your president.”
The message comes after an election cycle that saw the Democrats seize majorities in both the House and the Senate, securing at least 54 seats in the upper chamber and more than 218 in the lower one. The party also notched major wins in governors’ races, managing to prevail even in traditional Republican strongholds, including Texas.
Trump now faces the second half of his term with a Democratic-controlled Congress, which is likely to make passing his legislative agenda far more difficult. Even so, the president is signaling he intends to keep up a combative stance, leaning on the powers of the White House — and, in particular, on his ability to veto measures passed by Parliament.
