Before the US midterm elections, Donald Trump urged voters to treat the polls as a referendum on his presidency and imagine that his name was on the ballot. Voters listened, and then rejected him.

The Democrats, who faced the brunt of two tumultuous years of Trump 2.0, are set to win the House of Representatives and also take control of the Senate. Trump will now have to contend with angry Democrats in Congress, who could block his agenda, decide on government spending, and also initiate impeachment proceedings.

Trump is effectively likely to become a lame-duck president.The 'Blue tsunami' (blue is used to represent the Democrats) reflects strong dissatisfaction with the direction in which Trump has taken the country over the past two years. Cost of living, rising cost of diesel, and the economic consequences due to the Iran war proved to be the bugbear for Trump and the Republicans.

The war with Iran has become a major political vulnerability for Trump (AP) The Republicans entered the midterm polls with a slim majority in both chambers of Congress. It gave Trump considerable legislative support since his return to the White House in January 2025.

However, the Democrats are well on course to change the balance of power in Washington. It essentially means a weak Trump in the White House, even though he will retain his executive powers over areas such as tariffs, immigration and foreign policy.So, what does a Democratic takeover of Congress mean for Donald Trump?

Stay with us, and we will explain to you in short, crisp points. LEGISLATIVE AGENDA MAY HIT A WALLWith Democrats controlling both the House and Senate, Trump will find it much harder to pass new laws.

His plans on taxation, spending, healthcare and other domestic issues could face stiff resistance. Moreover, the Democrats could also use their control of Congress to refuse to approve funding for some of Trump's priorities.Veto Power However, Trump, not known to accept defeats gracefully, has touted an ace up his sleeve - veto power.

The eccentric US President said he would "veto" Democratic legislation if necessary, and gave him the moniker "Mr Veto". As per the US Constitution, a president can veto legislation passed by Congress.

Overriding a presidential veto requires a two-thirds majority in both chambers, something Democrats are unlikely to achieve without help from Republicans.Moreover, the Senate's 60-vote filibuster threshold could prove to be a hurdle for the Democrats. In the Senate, major legislation can be blocked through a procedure called a filibuster.

To end it and move towards a vote, a party generally needs 60 votes out of 100. In such a scenario, the Democrats, with 52 Senate seats, may have to negotiate with Republicans.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump speak with reporters after casting their early-voting ballots for the 2026 midterm elections (AP) INVESTIGATIONS AGAINST TRUMPA majority in the House will give Democrats control of the body's committees. This, in turn, will give it the ability to subpoena documents and witnesses as part of investigations.The Democratic Party has signalled they would investigate Trump's family business, immigration enforcement, and matters related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The business dealings of Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and son Donald Trump Jr. are expected to see greater scrutiny.Jason Crow, a Colorado Congressman, has hinted at starting with the Pentagon amid reports of defence money being steered toward companies linked to the Trump family.IMPEACHMENT MAY RETURN TO TABLETrump is not new to the impeachment process. During his first presidency, the House impeached him twice, but he was saved by the Senate.

The Democrats have hinted at reopening impeachment proceedings against Trump.A simple majority in the House is enough to initiate impeachment proceedings. This means Democrats won't need Republican support.

But it does not mean the immediate removal of Trump from office.The start of impeachment proceedings will kick off investigations into alleged misconduct by Trump. Following it, the House can approve articles of impeachment by a simple majority.

The process then moves to the Senate, which conducts an impeachment trial.However, conviction requires a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate. This is where Democrats will fall short unless they can win over some Republicans.

But that's a far cry.Essentially, a Democratic House majority could potentially impeach Trump, but it would not by itself have the power to remove him.APPOINTMENTS COULD FACE HURDLESThe Senate confirms senior government officials, ambassadors and federal judges, including Supreme Court nominees. A Democrat-controlled Senate could delay or reject Trump's nominees, making it harder for him to fill key positions and shape the judiciary.BUDGET BATTLESIn the US, Congress controls government spending.Democrats could essentially refuse to approve funding for Trump's priorities, triggering prolonged budget negotiations and potentially even a government shutdown.In such a scenario, the party that doesn't control the White House typically uses such leverage, including debt-ceiling hikes, to extract concessions from the majority party.So, what is the larger takeaway.A Democrat takeover of Congress will severely weaken Trump's iron grip on legislative agenda in the final two years of his presidency.

However, his executive powers will remain intact. It will essentially make it harder for Trump to govern on his own terms.Americans have given their verdict halfway into Trump's presidency.

Will Trump listen?- Ends