Corruption in the Trump administration was at the heart of concerns during the midterm elections that saw Republicans lose their majorities in both houses of Congress. Triumphant, the Democrats advised the presidential camp to “prepare to face legal proceedings” that would be decisive for the political future of the country.

Published on: 06/11/2026 - 1:38 p.m.

The opinion polls which preceded the masterful defeat inflicted on the Republican Party by the Democrats during the mid-term elections in the United States were nevertheless clear: the voters' priority is to put an end to the corruption of the Trump administration.

The president's camp superbly ignored this warning, preferring to highlight the costly renovation of the federal capital, Washington. Notably the failed repair of the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool, or the destruction of the east wing of the White House, razed to make way for a $400 million ballroom.

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A dubious choice, but in line with Donald Trump's previous provocations. The president had previously praised the "gigantic fortune" amassed by the oil industry thanks to the war against Iran, or even joked about the fact that the $5,000 check promised by his camp to Republican voters would not even allow them to afford a burger in one of his Florida clubs.

Stranger still, the Republican has strived to present himself as an anti-establishment political figure fighting against corruption, even though his personal fortune has tripled since the start of his second term.

“Disconnected” speech and “angry” electorate

A speech "remarkably disconnected from voters' expectations for a man who nevertheless showed that he was capable of being a cunning populist", comments Douglas Heye, a former communications director for the Republican National Committee.

“Trump has a tendency to talk about subjects that absolutely do not interest Americans, such as the price of oil or record corporate profits,” he adds. “Many voters believe that he focuses on his interests before taking into account theirs.”

Throughout the midterm campaign, the president invited voters to act as if his name appeared on the ballot. The voters took him at his word and logically punished the Republican candidates, allowing the Democrats to achieve victory, including in historic strongholds of the Republican Party, where Trump had won handily in 2024.

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Across the country, voters wanted change, according to a survey conducted by the AP agency among 80,000 citizens across the 50 American states. Three-quarters of those surveyed said they were "angry" or "dissatisfied" with the direction the United States was taking, and there were twice as many voters who wanted to express their rejection of Donald Trump as those who supported his policies. A majority of respondents blamed his administration for inflation, while six in ten accused him of prioritizing his own interests over those of the nation.

The majority of respondents considered the theme of government corruption "crucial" in their choice to elect a representative, placing this subject just behind that of the cost of living, but far ahead of other concerns such as immigration, the war in Iran or the construction of data centers.

Candidates “undermined by scandals”

In an interview with Fox News on the evening of the midterms, Donald Trump declared that he did not consider his camp's rout as a personal defeat, assuring that voters simply "did not like the Republican candidates". An assertion which is not entirely false, since candidates personally chosen by the president have indeed suffered spectacular defeats.

In Texas, Trump intervened to nominate Ken Paxton as Republican candidate for senator, to the detriment of his rival John Cornyn in the Republican primary. Ken Paxton, who had previously been censored by his own party over corruption charges and was embroiled in a divorce scandal, achieved the feat of losing the Senate race to Democrat James Talarico. A first since 1988 in this state known for the Republicans.

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“Trump chose unpopular candidates undermined by scandals. He bet on the wrong horses,” said Steven Ekovich, professor emeritus of political science at the American University of Paris. According to him, the White House tenant's historically low popularity rating has served Republican candidates already handicapped by his disastrous economic record, the result of the chaos in the Middle East caused by his war against Iran alongside Israel.

“Economic difficulties are an essential subject in all elections, and in this case, they are clearly his fault. He caused them, he cannot deny it, and the Americans noticed it and decided to sanction him,” observes Steven Ekovich.

In the rural state of Iowa, where Democrats captured both senator and governor seats, the AP poll showed that nearly 40% of voters considered the cost of living a "crucial" issue determining their vote.

The proportion was similar in Michigan, where voters made Democrat Abdul El-Sayed the first Muslim senator in that state's history. Only two in ten voters said they found his criticism of Israel and US support for the war in Gaza problematic, despite the extensive media coverage given to the subject.

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In Texas as in other states, the Democrats therefore focused their campaign on the fight against corruption and the cost of living, accusing the customs barriers put in place by the president and his war in Iran of being at the origin of inflation. The personal enrichment of the Trump clan since its return to the White House is also singled out.

For their part, the Republicans, starting with Donald Trump himself, were only able to counter these arguments with a divisive campaign on social issues, such as their crusade against minorities or the rights of trans people. Faced with these two approaches, voters voted for the camp defending purchasing power and fighting corruption.

Taking on the “Trump crime syndicate”

Galvanized by its victories in Republican strongholds, the Democratic Party is now promising decisive actions to help Americans' purchasing power and end the war in Iran. He also shows his desire to shed light on the accusations of corruption and abuse of power to which the Republican camp is the subject.

Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic leader poised to become the first African-American speaker of the House of Representatives in January, has pledged to slay the “unprecedented corruption” of the Trump administration. “When those in high positions are primarily concerned with their personal enrichment, or that of their family, friends and donors, they do not make the quality of life of Americans their priority,” he said.

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For his part, Robert Garcia, tipped to head the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, the main investigative body of the United States House of Representatives, sent a simple message to Republicans on election night: "LAWYER UP" ("Hire lawyers", or "prepare your defense").

The elected Democrat is a fierce opponent of what he calls “the Trump crime syndicate”. He put online a “scam counter” detailing the sums pocketed by the president and his inner circle since the start of his second term. In a recent interview with the Washington Post, he declared that "there are so many acts of corruption committed [by the Trump administration] that the entire Democratic camp would not be too much to investigate."

With a majority in both houses of Parliament, Democrats can now summon political officials, view confidential documents and hold public hearings, forcing the Trump camp to account for the first time.

Investigating the Trump family's cryptocurrency transactions or shedding light on the lucrative defense contracts negotiated by Eric and Donald Trump Jr., the president's two eldest sons, will be some of the Democrats' priorities. An investigation into the financial interests in the Middle East and Albania of Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law, has already been underway since April.

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Democrats are also expected to look into government contracts involving billionaire Elon Musk, who donated nearly half a billion dollars to Republican candidates during the midterm elections.

The president's "prestige projects" in Washington are also sure to come under scrutiny. Representative Jared Huffman, senior Democratic representative on the House Natural Resources Committee, has pledged to determine whether donors who funded the new White House ballroom received preferential treatment from the administration.

“Betrayal of national interests”

Alongside their investigations, Democrats will need to address the immediate concerns of American voters. “More than 90% of voters believe the government is corrupt. We must be strategic about the direction of our investigations, without allowing ourselves to be distracted from solving the immediate financial problems facing American families,” declared Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, tipped to chair the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee, to The Hill newspaper on the eve of the midterm elections.

The Trump administration will likely object to requests for testimony or the release of documents, which could set the stage for lengthy court battles. The outcome of this confrontation could shape politics in Washington for years to come.

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By investigating allegations of corruption within the president's entourage, Democrats will be able to place themselves "on the right side" of an issue that resonates strongly with voters, said Timothy Snyder, a historian at the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto. "[Trump's] friends and family are making billions of dollars, essentially by betraying national interests," he said. “If we do not name these actions for what they are, it will be very difficult to remedy them.”

Failing to combat corruption in government could prove costly for both parties. The AP opinion poll suggests that the Democratic Party is not significantly more popular than the Republicans with voters, despite the "blue wave" that has swept the country.

“The reality is that voters are not satisfied. They are certainly not satisfied with the Republicans, but they are not particularly satisfied with the Democrats either,” judges Douglas Heye, former strategist for the Republican camp. "Washington is very unpopular. And until Washington tries to address some of these issues, that's not going to change."

This article has been translated from English. Find the original article written by Benjamin Dodman here.

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