Democrats have seized control of both chambers of Congress, leaving Donald Trump with far less room to push his agenda. Their wins in key Republican districts have changed the balance of power for the rest of his presidency.
A House majority gives Hakeem Jeffries and his party a lot more say over what gets passed. Republicans can no longer move bills through that chamber without help from Democrats.
And the new balance gives House committees more power to probe the White House. They can seek records, call officials to testify, and dig into how the Trump team has used public funds.
Over in the Senate, Democrats gain leverage over who gets top federal jobs. Cabinet picks, judges, diplomats, and Supreme Court nominees all need approval from that chamber, giving the party a way to hold up or reject Trump's choices.
Robert Garcia has put possible Trump family corruption near the top of his agenda. Jamie Raskin also wants details about business links tied to Jared Kushner and Donald Trump Jr. Both are looking at potential conflicts of interest.
The Jeffrey Epstein files are another big issue. Ro Khanna and Republican Thomas Massie helped push the Justice Department to hand over records, but the release left many questions open.
Out of roughly 6 million pages held by the department, only 3.5 million came out. Officials say the rest were copies, yet lawmakers from both parties have raised concerns over blacked-out text and the exposure of victims' names.
Journalist Katie Phang has taken legal action over the handling of those records. Under Republican chair James Comer, the House oversight panel had already shown that both parties could work together on witness demands and other parts of the inquiry.
Colorado lawmaker Jason Crow has a different target. He wants to check Pentagon spending after reports raised concerns about defense funds going to firms with links to Trump's relatives.
Then there's impeachment. Jeffries hasn't ruled out another attempt, while Republican leader Steve Scalise thinks Democrats could move on it right away. Whether the party would have enough votes remains a separate issue.
There's history here as well. Democrats took the House during Trump's first term and used committee powers to examine his businesses, his ties to the Russia inquiries, and claims of conflicts of interest.
That period led to Trump's first impeachment over allegations that he tried to get Ukraine to damage Joe Biden's election bid and then blocked lawmakers from looking into the matter.
The Senate cleared Trump of those charges. A later impeachment, tied to accusations that he incited the Capitol attack, also ended in acquittal.
For Democrats, control of both chambers brings wider powers over laws, appointments, and federal oversight. But any new probe or impeachment bid will still need evidence, votes, and the legal steps that Congress must follow.
A House majority gives Hakeem Jeffries and his party a lot more say over what gets passed. Republicans can no longer move bills through that chamber without help from Democrats.
And the new balance gives House committees more power to probe the White House. They can seek records, call officials to testify, and dig into how the Trump team has used public funds.
Over in the Senate, Democrats gain leverage over who gets top federal jobs. Cabinet picks, judges, diplomats, and Supreme Court nominees all need approval from that chamber, giving the party a way to hold up or reject Trump's choices.
Robert Garcia has put possible Trump family corruption near the top of his agenda. Jamie Raskin also wants details about business links tied to Jared Kushner and Donald Trump Jr. Both are looking at potential conflicts of interest.
The Jeffrey Epstein files are another big issue. Ro Khanna and Republican Thomas Massie helped push the Justice Department to hand over records, but the release left many questions open.
Out of roughly 6 million pages held by the department, only 3.5 million came out. Officials say the rest were copies, yet lawmakers from both parties have raised concerns over blacked-out text and the exposure of victims' names.
Journalist Katie Phang has taken legal action over the handling of those records. Under Republican chair James Comer, the House oversight panel had already shown that both parties could work together on witness demands and other parts of the inquiry.
Colorado lawmaker Jason Crow has a different target. He wants to check Pentagon spending after reports raised concerns about defense funds going to firms with links to Trump's relatives.
Then there's impeachment. Jeffries hasn't ruled out another attempt, while Republican leader Steve Scalise thinks Democrats could move on it right away. Whether the party would have enough votes remains a separate issue.
There's history here as well. Democrats took the House during Trump's first term and used committee powers to examine his businesses, his ties to the Russia inquiries, and claims of conflicts of interest.
That period led to Trump's first impeachment over allegations that he tried to get Ukraine to damage Joe Biden's election bid and then blocked lawmakers from looking into the matter.
The Senate cleared Trump of those charges. A later impeachment, tied to accusations that he incited the Capitol attack, also ended in acquittal.
For Democrats, control of both chambers brings wider powers over laws, appointments, and federal oversight. But any new probe or impeachment bid will still need evidence, votes, and the legal steps that Congress must follow.
