What Republicans' huge loss means for Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump boards Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., Aug. 7, 2026.Elizabeth Frantz | ReutersDemocrats just put President Donald Trump in a bind.The party is projected to win commanding majorities in the House and Senate after thrashing Republicans in key races up and down the ballot across the country. The blue tsunami will knock Washington on its head and crush the Republican congressional bulwark that both supported and shielded Trump through the first two years of his term.The midterm result snuffs out any chance Trump had of passing partisan legislation in the second half of his presidency. And many of the interests he has been able to pursue without Congress' input — including tariffs, the Iran war and an array of Washington-area construction projects — are sure to face sudden pushback from newly empowered Democratic majorities.The paradigm shift hardly leaves Trump helpless, however. As president at a time of executive-power expansion, Trump wields singular authorities that could stymie Democrats' efforts to pursue their own agendas.But with his grip on the Capitol shriveling and his approval ratings scraping record lows in numerous polls, i...