US midterms explained: How Congress can cut a President down to size

American voters have delivered a political setback to President Donald Trump without removing him from office.

In Tuesday’s midterm elections, the Democratic Party wrested control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate from the Republicans, according to projections by major US news organisations.

The result gives Democrats control of Congress, the institution that writes federal laws, controls government spending and scrutinises presidential power. It also threatens to turn the remaining two years of Trump's presidency into a prolonged confrontation with lawmakers. 

But Trump remains president. His four-year term does not end because his party loses an election halfway through it. Unlike parliamentary systems, where a government can collapse after losing its legislative majority, the United States elects its president and Congress separately.

A president can therefore control the White House while the opposition controls one or both chambers of Congress. The result is known as divided government.

It is a regular feature of American democracy.

What are midterms, and why do they exist?

Midterm elections are held every two years, halfway through a president's four-year term.

They are not presidential elections. Americans do not vote to retain or dismiss the president. Instead, they elect members of Congress, state governors and numerous state and local officials.

Congress has two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The House has 435 voting members, elected from congressional districts across the country. Each serves a two-year term. Every House seat is contested in every midterm election. A party needs 218 seats to command a majority when all seats are filled.

The Senate operates differently. It has 100 members, with each of the 50 states electing two senators, regardless of population.

Senators serve six-year terms. Their elections are staggered so that roughly one-third of the chamber faces voters every two years. This arrangement provides continuity. Even when the political mood changes sharply, most senators retain their seats until their terms expire. 

The system dates to the founding of the American republic.

The Constitution, drafted in 1787 and brought into operation in 1789, established different terms for presidents, representatives and senators. The framers wanted the House to remain closely accountable to voters. Frequent elections would make representatives sensitive to changes in public opinion.

The Senate was designed to provide greater stability. Its longer terms would insulate it, to some extent, from sudden political pressures. The president received a four-year term, creating another electoral timetable.

Midterm elections emerged from these overlapping constitutional arrangements. They were not introduced later as a special mechanism to punish unpopular presidents. The term simply describes congressional elections that fall midway through a presidential term.

Originally, senators were chosen by state legislatures. The 17th Amendment, ratified in 1913, introduced direct popular elections for the Senate. Today, federal general elections take place on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even-numbered years.

Voters elect representatives in their districts and senators in states holding Senate contests. They may also choose governors, state legislators and local officials.

The winners generally take office when the new Congress convenes on January 3. But why do midterms matter so much?

Because American presidents cannot govern through executive authority alone. Congress passes legislation, authorises spending and exercises oversight of the executive branch.

The House can initiate impeachment proceedings and approve articles of impeachment by a simple majority. The Senate conducts impeachment trials. Conviction and removal require a two-thirds majority of senators present.

The Senate also confirms senior presidential appointments, including federal judges, Cabinet officials and Supreme Court justices. It has a constitutional role in approving treaties.

A president facing an opposition-controlled House can struggle to pass legislation or secure funding for major programmes.

Losing the Senate creates additional problems. Judicial appointments can be blocked or delayed, senior nominations face greater scrutiny, and the administration loses an important source of institutional support.

Losing both chambers is more consequential. The opposition can set legislative priorities, chair congressional committees, issue subpoenas and investigate government decisions.

Yet Congress cannot simply dismiss the president through a vote of no confidence. Nor can the opposition automatically overturn presidential decisions.

The president retains executive powers, including the authority to veto legislation. Congress can override a veto only with a two-thirds majority in both chambers. The result is a system built for negotiation, but equally capable of producing deadlock.

History and Trump's predicament

Midterms have repeatedly transformed American presidencies.

In 1994, Republicans led by Newt Gingrich captured both chambers of Congress during Democrat Bill Clinton's first term. Republicans gained 54 House seats, ending four decades of Democratic control of the chamber. They also secured a Senate majority.

The defeat forced Clinton to negotiate with Republicans over taxation, welfare and government spending.

In 2006, the political tide reversed. Democrats captured both chambers during Republican President George W. Bush's second term, gaining about 30 House seats and six Senate seats.

Public frustration over the Iraq War and the administration's handling of domestic issues contributed to the Republican defeat. Four years later, President Barack Obama suffered an even larger setback.

In 2010, Republicans gained 63 House seats, taking control of the chamber. Democrats retained the Senate, although Republicans made substantial gains there too.

The result severely restricted Obama's domestic legislative agenda.

In 2014, Republicans also captured the Senate, leaving Obama facing an opposition-controlled Congress. Trump himself experienced a midterm defeat in 2018.

Democrats gained roughly 40 House seats and took control of the chamber, although Republicans strengthened their Senate majority. The Democratic-controlled House subsequently impeached Trump twice, in 2019 and 2021. The Senate acquitted him both times.

These elections demonstrate that midterm defeats can constrain presidents without necessarily ending their political careers.

Clinton won re-election in 1996. Obama won another term in 2012. Trump returned to the presidency in 2025 after losing his 2020 re-election bid.  The 2026 result presents Trump with a particularly difficult challenge.

Democrats have won both chambers amid voter dissatisfaction over high prices, the war with Iran and the administration's economic policies.

The Associated Press reported Democratic Senate victories in traditionally Republican states, including Kansas and Iowa. ABC News also projected Democratic control of both chambers, although individual races were still being finalised. 

The immediate consequences are legislative and institutional for President Trump, . His administration will face tougher negotiations over federal spending, taxation and other domestic priorities.

Democratic committee chairs could investigate executive decisions, examine government contracts and summon administration officials for congressional hearings.

Senate control would also allow Democrats to restrict Trump's ability to fill judicial vacancies and secure confirmation for senior officials.

Foreign policy remains an area where the president retains considerable authority. But Congress can influence military funding, impose legislative conditions and challenge aspects of the administration's international agenda.

The Democratic victory does not guarantee a successful opposition programme.

Passing major legislation would still require navigating Senate procedural rules, securing agreement between the chambers and overcoming a possible presidential veto.

Nor does winning Congress automatically translate into winning the next presidential election. The Democrats must demonstrate that they can govern effectively, not merely obstruct Trump.

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