The Republicans retain the majority in the US House of Representatives, according to several American media forecasts.
That would mean that Trump’s party controls the entire US Congress.
– Donald Trump has a chance to become the most powerful president in my lifetime, says US expert Andreas Utterström.
After more than a week of vote counting, CNN and NBC can now say that the Republicans secure 218 out of a total of 435 seats in the US House of Representatives.
If the forecast is correct, it means that Donald Trump’s party controls both chambers of the US Parliament, i.e. the entire Congress. In addition, the Supreme Court has granted him immunity.
– It would make it much easier for Trump to get his policy through. It’s easy to get the idea that the president can decide everything himself, but it’s the Congress that sits on the wallet, says Andreas Utterström, US expert.
Since Donald Trump also won both the electoral votes and the popular vote, he also has the voters on his side.
“As much power as a superhero”
Without winning Congress, it can be difficult for a president to get all of his campaign promises through. But Donald Trump avoids that problem. And the Supreme Court’s immunity makes it even easier.
– It is a completely different Donald Trump than the one who was president in 2016. If I were him, I would put the gas down and correct what he was not satisfied with during his last term, says Utterström.
The campaign’s election promises included, among other things, the deportation of illegal immigrants, major tax cuts and the introduction of tariffs.
– After Trump recovered from covid-19, he toyed with the idea of appearing to the American people in a Superman suit. Now he doesn’t need a costume, because now the voters and the Supreme Court have given him as much power as a superhero, says Andreas Utterström.
Day 1: Close borders
Only on January 20 will Donald Trump be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States.
Even then, during his first day in the Oval Office, Trump has promised to implement a series of reforms, including ending the war in Ukraine and “starting the largest domestic deportation process.” The border must be closed, inflation must be defeated and “transgender madness courses” must disappear.
Fredrik Bergman Evans is a lawyer and expert in constitutional law. He believes Trump’s main focus in the first day will instead be on getting rid of the charges against him and possibly pardoning some of those who participated in the storming of Congress.