Following a disastrous night for the Republicans in the midterm elections, which saw the Democrats take control of Congress, Donald Trump returned to Truth Social to complain about clocks going back and early winter sunsets.
asserted
clocks → follow → Social
The Democrats swept to victory by securing a huge House majority and won control of the Senate, a remarkable achievement powered by victories in Republican strongholds — Kansas, South Carolina, Texas — that few could have predicted a year ago.
uncertain
few → sweep → strongholds
The Republican defeat is being viewed as a resounding rejection of Trump's two years in the White House, with issues such as the cost of living and the unpopular war in Iran triggering a blue wave.
asserted
issues → view → wave
But as opposed to posting about his party's crushing defeat, the president took to his Truth Social platform to vent his frustration about clocks going back and it being dark outside.
asserted
it → oppose → frustration
'Too bad the Senate has not yet approved the Sunshine Protection Act or, the I Don't Want to Change My Clocks Anymore Act,' Trump wrote, calling on Republicans to secure at least one last legislative victory while they still hold control of Congress.
asserted
they → approve → Congress
The Sunshine Protection Act would make daylight saving time permanent, meaning the time would no longer change twice per year.
'
asserted
time → make → year
It’s so dark outside, so early (Sunset was 5.06pm, and it was dark by 5.31pm — Isn’t that ridiculous?),' Trump wrote.
asserted
Trump → ’ → 5.31pm
In addition, everyone’s been running around changing their clocks all over the place.
asserted
everyone → run → place
Following a disastrous night for the Republicans in the midterm elections, which saw the Democrats take control of Congress, Donald Trump returned to Truth Social to complain about clocks going back and early winter sunsets
President Donald Trump signs the final steel beam before it is placed during construction for the White House Ballroom at the White House, Wednesday, November 4, in Washington
Trump continued: 'I didn’t want to make a big deal out of this prior to the Election because I didn’t want to have certain Senators lose their Race, in a landslide, but it is too bad they can’t get it done.
'
asserted
it → follow → landslide
The House sent it over to the Senate with great bipartisan support, numerous times (308-117), but the Senate didn’t take it up.
asserted
Senate → send → it
We have far bigger priorities, but I will keep fighting for this!'
asserted
I → have → this
On July 14, the House passed the bill with a 308-117 vote.
asserted
House → pass → vote
Nevertheless, the bill was opposed in the Senate by Republicans, including Tom Cotton, who won reelection Tuesday to the Senate representing Arkansas.
asserted
who → oppose → Arkansas
'No one likes changing the clock, me included, but Congress has enacted permanent Daylight Savings Time multiple times before and repealed it each time once Americans experienced absurdly late sunrises in the winter,' Cotton previously said.
asserted
Cotton → like → winter
Cotton, a member of GOP leadership, is the most vocal opponent of the change, notably drawing Trump's anger in October when the Republican president posted his personal cellphone number on social media and ordered him to 'GET IT DONE!'
Supporters of the bill, including the president and his administration, argue that the change would provide more daylight during the times that Americans are most active.
Opponents say permanent daylight saving time would cause darker and potentially more dangerous winter mornings when children will be waiting for school buses and parents will be driving to work in darkness.
asserted
parents → draw → darkness
As well as shifting the conversation to clocks, Trump called in reporters on the morning after his party's sweeping defeat to show off the ballroom he is building at the White House.
asserted
he → shift → House
Less than 24 hours after suffering historic party losses, he spoke about ballroom features for more than 20 minutes, boasting about its 'magnificent' columns carved out of limestone, 50ft-high ceilings, ability to hold more than 300 guests, heavy-set beams, 'drone-proof' roof, thick marble floors and military-grade bunker.
asserted
he → suffer → guests
'When I get criticised, like, "Why are you working on the White House?"
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you → criticise → House
I'm doing it because the White House is the ultimate symbol of America, and it's got to be pristine, it's got to be perfect,' Trump said.
asserted
Trump → do → America
He turned only briefly to the elections during his nearly hour-long appearance, telling reporters: 'I'll get along probably with the Democrats, unless they want to be destructive, but I have the power of the veto.'
asserted
I → turn → veto
Trump had cast the midterm elections as a referendum on the first half of his second four-year stint in the White House, repeatedly urging his Republican base to 'pretend I'm on the ballot,' a message that Democratic Party leaders were happy to amplify.
asserted
leaders → cast → message
A wave of anger over his policies, particularly the US-Iran war's role in pushing the cost of living higher, helped Democrats take the Senate, where they flipped seats in deeply Republican states for a majority of at least 54-44.
asserted
they → push → 54
Democrats also gained at least 30 seats in the House of Representatives.
asserted
Democrats → gain → Representatives
It will be the first time that Trump, a Republican who also held the White House from 2017 to 2021, has had to contend with Democrats controlling both chambers of Congress.
asserted
who → hold → Congress
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said on Wednesday that the incoming majority would be focused on affordability and accountability.
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majority → say → affordability
'We don't work for Donald Trump,' Jeffries, a New York lawmaker who is on track to become the first Black speaker of the House, told reporters on Wednesday.
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who → work → Wednesday
'We work for the American people.
asserted
We → work → people
And the days of the House of Representatives functioning like a wholly owned subsidiary of the Trump administration are over.'
asserted
House → function → administration
Voters in conservative strongholds who propelled the president to his second term in office just two years ago swung dramatically toward Democrats, fueled by deep frustration over the unpopular war with Iran, anxiety over the high cost of living and anger at Trump's stewardship of the country.
asserted
who → propel → country
Prices increased by 3.7 per cent in the year to September, driven higher by fuel and energy prices.
asserted
Prices → increase → prices
Average US retail diesel prices in early October were just below the record of $6.52 (£4.83) per gallon seen in September, according to government data.
uncertain
prices → see → data
In Texas, the biggest Republican-led state before Tuesday, Democrats ended a decades-long losing streak in seismic fashion, winning their first Senate seat there since 1988 and ousting three-term Governor Greg Abbott.
asserted
Democrats → lead → Abbott
Kansas elected its first Democratic senator since the Great Depression nearly a century ago, and in South Carolina, a state that Trump carried by nearly 18 points in 2024, Democrats turned aside his hand-picked Senate candidate.
asserted
Democrats → elect → candidate
Now, Republican allies and strategists have called for Trump to shake up his White House personnel, restore discipline and scrap policies they blamed for the losses, including the Iran war and tariffs, as his presidency enters its final years.
asserted
presidency → call → years
Veteran Republican strategist John Feehery called the results a 'huge disaster' for Trump.
asserted
Feehery → call → Trump
'He needs to clean house,' Feehery said.
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Feehery → need → house
'Every day from this point forward, he's becoming more and more lame.
asserted
he → become → point
'
But Trump showed little indication that he viewed the election outcome as a reason to change direction.
asserted
he → show → direction
'I don't view it as a hit on me,' he told Fox News late on Tuesday.
asserted
he → view → Tuesday
Democrats will now have the power to block Trump's legislation, investigate his administration and challenge his nominees.
asserted
Democrats → have → nominees
…and 3 more, not listed.
The Aporia
