President Trump recently stated that he would probably be able to make deals with Democrats should they regain majorities in Congress. However, he simultaneously vowed to block their legislative agenda. The Hill reported that he made the comments while discussing campaigning during a Fox News interview on The Ingraham Angle. Trump told host Laura Ingraham that he expects to spend the next two years blocking “their bad stuff.”
The Hill reported that Ingraham first asked Trump if he would campaign harder than ever before the Midterms, only for the president to say no. He said, “The hardest I ever campaigned [was] because I had to win. I took four months, no empty days, no empty hours. I made speeches all day.” She then pointed out that the midterms were important because it would impact his legacy. But he disagreed, telling her, “It’s never as important. Look, I’m campaigning for other people”
Trump reportedly told Ingraham, “When you say my legacy, I’ll be a block. I’ll end up being a blocker. I’ll block all of their bad stuff for two years.” He added, “It won’t be the same, but I’ll be a blocker. What can I tell you? And probably be able to make deals with them.” Interestingly, he told the press last week that he could campaign for candidates before November. However, this outlook comes as the political landscape shifts ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
A high-stakes midterm
According to data from Decision Desk HQ, which is a partner of The Hill, the race for control of the Senate has tightened significantly. Projections have moved from what was once a 60% probability of Republican retention two months ago to essentially a coin flip.
Geoffrey Skelley, the chief elections analyst at Decision Desk HQ, noted that while the Senate map is favorable for Republicans at the baseline, the environment has become much more competitive for the party. In fact, until two days ago, projections gave Democrats a 51% probability of winning the Senate.
The President’s strategy for these midterms was on full display at the Republican Party’s first-ever midterm convention held in Dallas. According to Reuters, the two-day event served as a platform for the President to urge voters to treat the upcoming elections as a referendum on his own leadership. During the gathering at the American Airlines Center, the President encouraged attendees to “pretend that I’m on the ballot.”
This approach to galvanize the Republican base has reportedly drawn mixed reactions even among party faithful. Some supporters believe that centering the campaign around the President is the only way to drive necessary turnout. However, other Republicans expressed caution about whether this strategy will resonate with the independent voters required to maintain congressional majorities.
In his attempt to convince attendees to vote for Republican candidates, Newsweek reported that the President even led them in a pledge. Trump asked them to raise their right hands and repeat a vow to vote on November 3, jokingly saying, “I don’t care if I’m registered or not, I’m going to try and cheat like hell like they do.”
Per the outlet, he continued the pledge by stating, “I am gonna go out, and I’m going to get my friends, my family and we are going to vote on November 3 or we are going to vote before that.” The President also warned the crowd that if they failed to vote, they would “go to hell.” The pledge drew criticism online, with critics tying the “cheat like hell” line to Trump’s yearslong pattern of unfounded claims that Democrats and election officials rig elections against him.
Per The Hill, Senator Tim Scott, who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee, urged unity, stating, “The only way to keep dangerous, radical, weird out of the Senate is a united Republican party standing with our President Donald J. Trump.” Despite these efforts, the President’s approval ratings have faced downward pressure due to economic concerns, including the high cost of living.
During his keynote address, Trump even promised every American adult a $5,000 dividend if Republicans retain control of Congress. However, the outlet noted that he did not provide specific details on how such a payment would be funded.
Despite the mixed messaging, Trump did encourage the attendees to vote for Ken Paxton in the Texas midterms, calling him the greatest Attorney General in America. However, he spent an inordinate amount of time disparaging Paxton’s looks.
Trump’s current campaign plan includes plans to visit states like Alaska to support incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan. With the general election matchups now decided, both parties are focusing their resources on competitive races in states like Maine, Ohio, Texas, and Iowa.
Published: Sep 12, 2026 11:00 am