--- title: "Democrats Take Both Houses of the US Congress: From January They Can Decide on Aid to Ukraine and Overcome Trump's Veto" description: "Following the November 3 midterms, Democrats secured control of both houses of the US Congress. Starting in January, they will be able to set the agenda themselves and likely override Trump's veto for a new Ukraine aid package." date: 2026-11-04T22:35:11.393Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/democrats-control-us-congress-ukraine-aid tags: [us-elections, congress, ukraine-aid, trump, democrats] author: "Alexander Buran, Marina Slivenko" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Democrats Take Both Houses of the US Congress: From January They Can Decide on Aid to Ukraine and Overcome Trump's Veto ![Donald Trump sits at his desk in the Oval Office with a disgruntled expression against the backdrop of American flags.](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/04/demokraty-kontroliruyut-kongress-ssha-pomoshch-ukraine/demokraty-kontroliruyut-kongress-ssha-pomoshch-ukraine-1.webp) ## Key Points - Following the November 3 midterms, Democrats take control of both houses of the US Congress from Republicans. - Starting in January, Democrats will be able to set the voting agenda themselves and likely secure a two-thirds majority to override Trump's veto on Ukraine aid. - Trump acknowledged the election results and promised to work with Democrats, claiming his name on the ballot would have changed the outcome. - Gregory Meeks, likely heading the Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced a bipartisan bill to block the return of Russian diesel to the market. - Trump admitted that the rise in gasoline prices was caused by the war with Iran, rather than Ukrainian strikes on refineries, as he claimed earlier. On the night of November 4, as polling stations closed and votes were tallied, it became known that the US Democratic Party, following the November 3 midterm elections, wrested control of both houses of Congress from the Republicans. According to Reuters, this shift in the balance of power opens a path for Democrats to independently set the legislative agenda starting in January and, in particular, to attempt to approve a new aid package for Ukraine despite the White House's stance. ### Midterm Results and the President's Reaction The midterm congressional elections took place on November 3; the results, according to Kyiv time, became known on the night of November 4. Shortly after the outcome was announced, US President Donald Trump acknowledged the voting results and promised to work with Democrats. At the same time, he stated that if his name had been on the ballot, Republicans would have won by a landslide. The final margin of the Democratic majority at the time of publication had not yet been determined, but as Reuters notes, support for Ukraine within the party and among some Republicans has historically been so strong that Congress may be able to muster a sufficient majority to override a veto. ### January Agenda: Control Over Voting With control of both houses shifting in January, Democrats will be able to decide themselves which issues to bring to a vote and when. As Reuters explains, this, in turn, could allow them to approve new aid to Ukraine and most likely secure the necessary two-thirds majority to override Trump's veto. Democratic aides, the agency writes, stated that supporting Kyiv is a priority task for the party. Earlier this year, the US president largely suspended financial and military assistance to Ukraine, despite broad bipartisan support for such aid from lawmakers. ### The Diesel Bill and the Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats may also target other decisions made by Trump. In particular, discontent in Congress, including among many Republicans, was caused by the lifting of sanctions against Russian diesel fuel and Russian energy just weeks after the relevant laws were signed. Democratic Representative Gregory Meeks of New York, who is likely to chair the House Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at blocking Trump's plan to return Russian diesel fuel to the global market. ### Gasoline Prices and the War with Iran A separate episode was the president's position regarding the rise in gasoline prices. Trump acknowledged that the price increase was caused by the war with Iran, although he had previously claimed that prices were affected by Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries. This statement adds context to how the administration explains the economic consequences of current conflicts. Thus, the change in control over Congress shifts key decisions on foreign policy and aid to Ukraine into a realm where the initiative passes to lawmakers. The realization of the veto-override scenario will depend on the final size of the Democratic majority and the willingness of some Republicans to support relevant initiatives. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Демократы в Конгрессе США могут добиться новой помощи Украине и преодолеть вето Трампа, - СМИ](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/demokrati-kongresi-ssha-mozhut-domogtisya-1793828198.html) - Primary source: midterm results, Trump's reaction, Reuters quotes, Meeks bill, Trump's admission on gas prices. - [Reuters: демократы в США могут добиться новой помощи Украине после выборов в конгресс](https://grodno24.com/2026/10/reuters-demokraty-v-ssha-mogut-dobitsya-novoj-pomoshhi-ukraine-posle-vyborov-v-kongress.html) - Reuters context (pre-election forecast from Oct 25): control of houses gives the right to set the agenda; two-thirds for veto override; suspension of aid by Trump. - [Демократы США могут в обход вето Трампа одобрить помощь Украине](https://tehnowar.ru/587483-demokraty_ssha_mogut_v_obhod_veto_trampa_odobrity_pomoschy_ukraine.html) - Analytical context: veto override mechanism (2/3), role of Meeks and the Foreign Affairs Committee, decline in supplies. - [Демократы связывают руки Трампу: что ждет Москву и Тегеран?](https://www.trtrussian.com/article/feb0d6748628) - Analytics on the consequences of the Democratic victory for the administration's foreign policy capabilities. ## FAQ ### When did the midterms take place and when will Democrats take control of Congress? The midterm elections took place on November 3, and results became known on the night of November 4. Democrats will be able to exercise control over both houses starting in January. ### Will Democrats be able to override Trump's veto on Ukraine aid? According to Reuters, with control of both houses, they will be able to bring the issue to a vote themselves and most likely secure the necessary two-thirds majority, although the final size of the majority has not yet been determined. ### How did Trump react to the results? Trump acknowledged the election results and promised to work with Democrats, stating that had his name been on the ballot, Republicans would have won by a landslide.