President Donald Trump is drawing a hard line ahead of Tuesday’s critical midterm elections, warning that he is prepared to become “Mr. Veto” and systematically block Democratic legislation if the left manages to capture one or both chambers of Congress.
In a preview of his interview with New York Post columnist Miranda Devine on her “Pod Force One” podcast, set to drop Monday and aired in part on Fox News Sunday, Trump made clear he will not allow a Democratic majority to dismantle the America First gains of his second term.
“I guess I’ll become Mr. Veto,” he said. “I’m not going to let them ruin it.”
Trump described a deliberate strategy of using the veto pen aggressively for “a month or two.” He explained that Democrats would send bills to his desk, he would veto them, and after repeated rejections, “they’re just wasting [time], they come over, and you make a deal.”
He added that this dynamic “wouldn’t be the first time” a president has faced an opposition Congress, but stressed, “hopefully we don’t have to worry about that.”
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Trump told reporters on the South Lawn in late October that if Democrats take control, “I veto everything, and then the Democrats come and want to make a deal.”
Days later, he reiterated to the press that he has “a strong veto” and would use it to force “strong deals” while accepting results only if they are “honest elections.”
The White House is already preparing for the possibility of divided government. Administration officials have spent months identifying executive actions that can advance the agenda without new legislation from Congress.
Among the measures under consideration are new tariffs on wind turbines and critical minerals, along with stricter visa rules for temporary foreign workers and international students.
These steps build on Trump’s existing use of executive authority on trade, immigration enforcement, and regulatory reform.
Trump has already previewed the left’s broader goals, telling Devine that Democrats “want to get rid of your Second Amendment, have transgender for everyone.”
He has also echoed warnings that a full Democratic sweep could enable radical structural changes, adding states, expanding the Supreme Court, and eliminating the Senate filibuster.
Overriding a presidential veto requires a two-thirds majority in both chambers, a threshold Democrats are highly unlikely to reach even in a strong midterm wave.
Trump has used the veto sparingly so far in his second term (two times, compared with ten in his first), but he has made clear that restraint ends if the left takes the gavel.
