WASHINGTON | President Donald Trump is facing growing criticism from within his own Republican Party following the Democrats’ sweeping victory in the November 3 midterm elections, while incoming Democratic congressional leaders are preparing extensive investigations into his administration, family business interests and government policies.
The election handed Democrats control of both the US House of Representatives and the Senate, ending unified Republican control of Congress and setting the stage for an increasingly contentious final two years of Trump’s presidency.
Republican allies, political strategists and party officials have urged Trump to reconsider his administration’s direction, including its handling of the war with Iran, tariffs and economic policies. Some have called for changes in White House personnel and stronger political discipline, warning that the party risks further electoral setbacks if it continues along the same course, Reuters reported.
Vice President JD Vance publicly identified the Iran war as a major reason for the Republican defeat, writing on social media that the conflict had cost the party politically. He also pointed to the cost of living, inflation and US relations with Israel as issues that contributed to voter dissatisfaction. Trump acknowledged that the war played a role in the election outcome but defended his decision to launch the military campaign, saying he would make the same decision again.
The Republican criticism comes as Democrats prepare to exercise their expanded congressional powers. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is expected to become speaker, and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer are preparing an oversight agenda that includes investigations into Trump’s family business dealings, cryptocurrency ventures, government contracts and the administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
According to the Associated Press, House Democrats are also looking into Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations, the construction of Trump’s proposed White House ballroom and the involvement of the president’s family in mineral-related business deals. In the Senate, proposed inquiries include the Department of Government Efficiency, Medicare policies, pharmaceutical companies and financial transactions connected to Epstein.
Representative Robert Garcia, expected to lead the House Oversight Committee, signaled the incoming majority’s intention to pursue investigations, while Senator Richard Blumenthal identified several potential areas for Senate scrutiny. Democratic leaders have argued that congressional oversight should address alleged conflicts of interest and government actions that they believe have affected the public.
The White House has denied wrongdoing and criticized the prospect of politically motivated investigations, warning Democrats against conducting what it described as sham inquiries. Some Democratic lawmakers have also cautioned that investigations must be focused on evidence and public accountability rather than political retaliation.
The possibility of another impeachment effort has also entered the discussion. Jeffries has not ruled out pursuing a third impeachment of Trump, although no formal proceeding has been initiated. Trump was previously impeached twice by the House, in 2019 and 2021, and acquitted by the Senate on both occasions.
Under the US Constitution, the House of Representatives has the sole authority to impeach a president, while the Senate conducts the trial and requires a two-thirds vote of senators present to convict. Congressional investigations, however, are a separate oversight function that lawmakers have exercised since the early years of the American republic.
The new political landscape is expected to bring heightened scrutiny of the Trump administration, legislative confrontations and possible disputes over federal spending and government policy. While Democrats will have greater authority to conduct investigations and challenge administration decisions, Trump retains presidential powers, including the ability to veto legislation.
The election has therefore opened a new phase of political conflict in Washington, with Republicans confronting internal questions about their electoral losses and Democrats preparing to use congressional oversight to hold the administration accountable.
Edgardo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
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