WASHINGTON, NOV 8 (AFP): US President Donald Trump has vowed a political comeback after his Republican Party lost control of both houses of Congress in the November 3 midterm elections, dealing a major blow to his presidency.
The defeat leaves Trump politically weakened during the remaining two years of his term and opens the door to investigations by the Democrat-controlled Congress into the President, his family and senior administration officials.
“America took a giant step back in History with the results of the last Election,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social, adding that the stock market had suffered losses following the vote. “But have no fear, we will be back, BIGGER AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!”
Despite the setback, Trump has remained defiant. On November 6, he appointed hardline adviser Stephen Miller as his new chief of staff, signalling a tough political fightback.
Democrats have pledged to hold the administration accountable and oppose Miller, architect of Trump’s restrictive immigration policy.
Trump said on Sunday he had directed the Justice Department to examine Democratic threats to impeach members of his administration, describing them as “extortion”.
The issue triggered a war of words between senior Republicans and Democrats on political television programmes.
Attorney General Todd Blanche, a former personal lawyer to Trump, vowed to defend the President and senior administration officials.
However, Robert Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said Congress had a constitutional responsibility to hold the executive branch accountable.
“All he wants to do is protect Donald Trump, is protect Donald Trump’s cabinet and administration officials. That is not his job,” Garcia told CNN, vowing to investigate corruption and those committing crimes against the American public.
He added that Democrats would not be intimidated by threats from the administration.
With control of committees in both chambers, Democrats can summon officials, demand documents and conduct public hearings, placing Trump and his senior aides under increased scrutiny.
Potential areas of investigation include the Trump family’s business and cryptocurrency dealings, government contracts involving billionaire Elon Musk, cuts to federal agencies, immigration enforcement and the conduct of the Iran war.
During his first presidency, Trump was impeached twice by the House of Representatives but acquitted by the Senate on both occasions.
