American voters delivered their verdict on Donald Trump’s job performance, and it turns out they are less than satisfied.
What happened: Democrats won healthy majorities in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, giving them control over Congress for the remainder of Trump’s term.
In addition to winning key Senate battlegrounds like Michigan, Georgia, and Ohio, Democratic candidates also won upsets in more traditionally Republican states, like Texas and South Carolina.
Why it matters: U.S. politics will likely be deadlocked for the next two years. While Trump can still veto any Democratic legislative agenda, the Democrats will now be able to make Trump a lame duck president by blocking any Republican legislation and appointees.
They’ll also be able to launch investigations into the administration and subpoena documents and testimony — likely targets for investigations include the Trump family’s business dealings, the Epstein files, and the administration’s prosecution of the war against Iran.
For Canada: Cost of living was a major issue working against Republicans, and in that sense, this outcome could make U.S. politicians think twice about tariffs. But even a Democratic Congress won’t be able to scrap Trump’s tariffs, which have been imposed through executive orders.
White House officials have also spent the past several weeks suggesting that Canada was “interfering” in the midterm elections. If Trump is looking to shift blame for the loss, Canada could be a convenient punching bag.
What’s next: The focus of U.S. politics will now shift to 2028 and the contest to succeed Trump. The big question now is whether he will be able to maintain his dominance of the Republican Party, or if this defeat will break his grip
