Hours before the midterm elections for the US Congress, President Donald Trump rallied his supporters in Washington, at a time when opinion polls indicate that the Democrats are ahead and likely to seize control of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The elections come amid growing dissatisfaction with the high cost of living and the repercussions of the war on Iran, while Trump acknowledged the possibility of losing his Republican Party.
Published on: 03/11/2026 - 03:13 Last updated: 03/11/2026 - 03:56
US President Donald Trump on Monday chose the historic “Reflection Basin” site in Washington to rally Republicans on the eve of the midterm congressional elections.
He said that these elections may be the most important in his life, but he focused his speech on projects to restore the capital’s landmarks, especially the basin, whose renovation work sparked controversy due to defects in implementation, instead of addressing inflation and the war on Iran.
Opinion polls indicate that Democrats are moving towards regaining control of the House of Representatives, with competition for the Senate intensifying.
Decision Desk HQ expects Democrats to win 241 seats in the House of Representatives, compared to 194 for Republicans, and 52 seats in the Senate, compared to 48. A New York Times and Siena Institute poll also showed Democrats leading in the seven most contested races for Senate seats.
These expectations come in light of Trump's declining popularity, as an NBC News poll showed that 60 percent of respondents disapprove of his performance, especially due to the high cost of living exacerbated by the war on Iran.
Although he expected the Republicans to win, Trump acknowledged the possibility of their loss, stressing that he would resort to using his veto power against draft laws if the Democrats took control of Congress, before negotiating with them to reach agreements.
Read also: Congress, opinion polls, finance... What we know about the American midterm elections in numbers
On the other hand, the Democrats have intensified their recent electoral movements, especially in Texas and Kansas, where they are counting on candidates James Tallarico and Adam Hamilton to achieve gains in the Senate.
But the competition became more complicated in Michigan after Democratic Representative Haley Stevens announced her support for Republican candidate Mike Rogers against Abdul Rahman Al-Sayed, who defeated her in the primary elections. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer called the move a "disgraceful betrayal."
Control of the House of Representatives may give Democrats the ability to influence the federal budget and lead investigation committees into sensitive files, including suspicions of corruption and the Jeffrey Epstein case. As for control of the Senate, it would hinder Trump's judicial appointments, including potential appointments to the Supreme Court.
The elections include all seats in the House of Representatives and a third of the seats in the Senate, amid record early participation of about 54 million voters, and electoral spending on advertisements of nearly $11 billion.
France 24/AFP
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