Democrats to gain votes to block court nominees
The gist
Democrats won both chambers of Congress, gaining Senate power to reject Trump's judicial picks from Jan. 3.
The shift gives Democrats a check on the president's judges and Cabinet.
How it unfolded
- Oct 7, 2026Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer indicated Democrats plan to block Trump nominees for the Supreme Court and lower courts if they regain the chamber.
- Nov 3, 2026Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in Tuesday's midterm elections; Hakeem Jeffries declared "Today begins the great American comeback."
- Nov 4, 2026Nominees need only a simple Senate majority, so Democrats can reject Trump's judges and Cabinet picks from Jan. 3, while Republicans can confirm more until then.
Key terms
- Senate
- The upper chamber of the bicameral United States Congress, which shares federal legislative power with the House.
- confirm
- The Senate's approval of a presidential appointment, as part of advice and consent.
- midterm elections
- US general elections held near the midpoint of a president's four-year term, when all House seats and about a third of Senate seats are contested.
Source: Wikipedia