Donald Trump’s reaction to the midterm election defeat has been seemingly friendly so far. He has congratulated Democrats and even talked about working with them. However, his biographer believes this may not last, predicting that Trump could become more aggressive.
Timothy L. O’Brien predicts how Trump could respond to Democrats’ midterm victory
Timothy L. O’Brien, author of the 2005 book TrumpNation: The Art of Being the Donald, believes Donald Trump could become increasingly aggressive as Democrats prepare to take control of both chambers of Congress in January. The shift will leave Trump without the Republican majorities that helped him move his agenda through Congress during the first two years of his return to the White House (via The Daily Beast).
In a Bloomberg piece, O’Brien argued that Trump’s instinct to operate independently often makes him double down after setbacks, with little concern for the fallout. He warned that a president feeling cornered has historically been more likely to “lash out.” O’Brien expects that version of Trump to shape the next two years. “It’s likely that’s the president the world will live with for the next two years,” he said.
Trump has struck a more welcoming tone since the election defeat. He congratulated Democrats during an interview with Fox News, saying, “I think the Democrats did a good job.” He also claimed he could work with them, adding, “I have a lot of friends that are Democrats.”
However, his comments about the presidential veto suggest cooperation may come with limits. Trump told Fox that he had “the power of veto” and described it as “impervious.” Before Election Day, he had already called it his “ultimate power” in an interview with CBS News.
He also told the New York Post‘s Pod Force One podcast on Sunday that he planned to use the veto for “a month or two” before striking deals. “I guess I’ll become Mr. Veto,” he said.
