White House maps path to govern without Congress
The gist
The White House has spent months planning to advance Trump's agenda by executive power if Democrats take Congress.
Trump says he would become "Mr. Veto" before cutting deals with Democrats.
How it unfolded
- Since April 2026Senior officials including Stephen Miller and Russell Vought worked with the White House Counsel's Office to identify executive actions on immigration, tariffs, housing costs and federal spending Trump could pursue without congressional approval.
- Nov 1, 2026Reuters reported the White House had spent months preparing for a possible Democratic takeover of Congress, planning to advance Trump's agenda through executive power while bracing for investigations.
- Nov 1, 2026In an excerpt released Sunday from the New York Post's Pod Force One podcast, Trump said, "I guess I'll become Mr. Veto," expecting vetoes for "a month or two" before making deals with Democrats.