A "blue wave" has rolled across the United States, with some even calling it a "blue tsunami."
asserted
some → roll → it
The Democrats scored a decisive victory in the midterm elections on November 3, wresting the majority from President Donald Trump's Republicans in both the US House of Representatives and the Senate.
asserted
Democrats → score → Representatives
They also won gubernatorial elections in former Republican strongholds such as Texas.
asserted
They → win → Texas
Pictures from Tuesday evening show Democrat politicians and supporters across the country celebrating, hugging, even weeping with joy.
asserted
politicians → show → joy
However, as the White House reminded Americans in a post on X the day after the elections: "Trump is still your president."
asserted
Trump → remind → elections
Trump has the power to veto any proposed legislation Congress puts before him, and his veto can only be overruled by a two-thirds majority.
asserted
veto → have → majority
Also, in the past he has, on occasion, simply ignored Congress' decision.
asserted
he → ignore → decision
How much power do the Democrats have?
asserted
Democrats → have → power
Patrick Malone, professor at the public administration and policy department at American University in Washington D.C., told DW that a presidential veto is not necessarily the end of the matter — even though the Democrats don't have a two-thirds majority in either Congressional chamber.
asserted
Democrats → tell → chamber
"There are Republicans, especially on the House side, who are not going to want to tie themselves that closely to Trump anymore," said Malone.
asserted
Malone → be → Trump
"The Republicans that survived had a very strong message sent to them.
asserted
message → survive → them
It would be illogical and foolish for them to point to a neighboring district [that turned blue] and say, 'Well, that can't happen here.'
asserted
that → point → district
For that reason, Malone predicts that Republicans and Democrats may come together to overrule a Trump veto.
uncertain
Republicans → predict → veto
"It could happen very easily."
uncertain
It → happen → ?
Will Trump be impeached again?
asserted
Trump → impeach → ?
A question at the front of many people's minds is: Might the Democrats make another attempt at impeachment?
uncertain
Democrats → make → impeachment
One possible basis for this would be that Trump started the war with Iran without congressional approval; the US Constitution says only Congress has the power to declare war.
asserted
Congress → start → war
But as commander-in-chief, the president also has a degree of military authority.
asserted
president → have → authority
How far this extends without Congressional approval is legally disputed.
asserted
extends → extend → approval
From January 2027, Democrats will have the simple majority required to bring charges against him in the House of Representatives.
asserted
Democrats → have → Representatives
They will not, however, be able to muster the two-thirds majority in the Senate that would be needed for a conviction and Trump's removal from office.
asserted
that → muster → office
Some Democrats say it is nonetheless imperative that the impeachment process be initiated, as a way of keeping the president in check.
asserted
process → say → check
Others remain skeptical.
asserted
Others → remain → ?
"If we make Donald Trump the center of our focus, we will lose this moment in history," said Cory Booker, the Democratic senator from New Jersey.
asserted
Booker → make → Jersey
"We need to deal with the American people's problems.
asserted
We → need → problems
This does not mean that Democrats won't try to launch investigations into Trump, or into members of his family or government.
asserted
Democrats → mean → family
Malone believes the Democrats in Congress take their control function very seriously and will definitely initiate investigations.
asserted
Democrats → believe → investigations
These, he said, serve a purpose beyond the documented outcome.
asserted
he → say → outcome
They catch people's attention," he said.
asserted
he → catch → attention
Will Hegseth be fired as secretary of defense?
asserted
Hegseth → fire → defense
While Trump will most likely get to keep his job, Pete Hegseth might be about to lose his.
uncertain
Hegseth → get → his
Observers assume the Democrats will demand a different secretary of defense.
asserted
Democrats → assume → defense
"There's a lot of speculation about what's going to happen to Pete Hegseth," said Brandon Conradis, a former DW journalist who is now an editor at Bloomberg Government in Washington.
asserted
who → be → Washington
Whether Trump will actually fire Hegseth is a decision for the president.
asserted
fire → fire → president
All the Democrats can do is exert political pressure.
asserted
Democrats → do → pressure
From January onward, the Democrats will have a majority in Congress, which is where decisions are made on how government funds are spent.
asserted
funds → have → Congress
Conradis said one possibility for the Democrats to get their way would be to link the financing of Trump's pet projects to specific conditions.
asserted
Democrats → say → conditions
"One thing Democrats might do is say, 'Look, if you want more funding for these conflicts, Pete Hegseth needs to go.'
uncertain
Hegseth → do → conflicts
As secretary of defense, Hegseth is being held at least partially responsible for the US's relative lack of success in the war with Iran.
asserted
Hegseth → hold → Iran
This could also be a reason for Trump to fire him.
uncertain
Trump → fire → him
…and 14 more, not listed.
The Aporia
