Following a disastrous vote in Congress for the Republican Party, an internal political crisis has erupted in the US. Influential Republican strategists and political consultants have publicly called on President Donald Trump to rethink his approach to governing the country, overhaul his White House team, and abandon several decisions that they believe were key factors in the electoral defeat. Among the most criticized areas are the military confrontation with Iran and the tariff policy. Party sources emphasize that without radical changes in the next two years, Republicans risk losing control of the political agenda permanently.
"Massive catastrophe": the verdict of Republican strategists
Republican strategist John Feehery, commenting on the voting results, did not mince words, describing the outcome as a "massive catastrophe" for the American president. According to him, Trump needs to "totally overhaul his team" because his political position is becoming more vulnerable by the day. Feehery warned that without a change in personnel and strategic direction, the president will become "more and more politically helpless." Such public criticism from his own party allies is rare for a sitting head of state and, according to observers, a troubling signal.
What the shift of Congressional control to Democrats will change
As Reuters notes, the transfer of control over Congress to the Democratic Party will significantly limit the Trump administration's capabilities. Democrats will gain a tool to block the White House's legislative initiatives, will be able to initiate investigations into government activities, and can hinder the confirmation of candidates for public offices. Analysts for the publication expect that this will push Trump, who was already actively using his executive powers, toward an even wider use of unilateral measures—executive orders and administrative directives that do not require Congressional approval.
White House prepares for a scenario of resignations and investigations
A senior official in the American administration, who requested anonymity, reported that the White House is already preparing for the departure of some staff members, possible changes in the cabinet, and a series of investigations by the Democratic majority in Congress. The official described the atmosphere in the administration as extremely difficult: "It’s just unbearable here right now. Morale is as low as it can possibly be." These statements confirm that within the US government, an expectation of large-scale personnel shuffles and legal proceedings is taking hold.
Internal causes of the electoral failure
The reasons for Republican dissatisfaction were not limited to foreign policy and tariff strategy. As a party political consultant explained, back in the summer, voters in swing states criticized Trump for focusing on building a ballroom at the White House and renovating government buildings in Washington rather than solving the urgent problems of the voters. The consultant expressed concern that if the president continues to "talk about the same nonsense" over the next two years, the Republicans will get "crushed again" in the next election. This point suggests that a consensus is forming within the party about the need to change rhetoric and priorities.
White House position: "Achievements cannot be undone"
In response to the wave of criticism from his own allies and analysts, the White House has taken a defensive position. The administration stated that Democrats "will not be able to undo" Trump's achievements, referring to the key political and economic decisions of his first term. However, according to Reuters, even if already enacted administrative decisions remain in place, the Democratic majority in Congress will have significant leverage through the mechanism of investigations and the blocking of budgetary and personnel decisions, making the claim of impossibility of "undoing" debatable.
