Who's trembling now

The Trump clan is now in the crosshairs: “Get yourselves some lawyers!”

Will Trump’s smile fade?(Bild: AP/Alex Brandon)

What to do with this newfound power? That’s what the Democrats are debating now. Only one thing seems certain: People in Donald Trump’s inner circle should find themselves some good lawyers…

The Democrats are riding high on their victory. Their messages directed at Trump’s Republicans are tinged with aggressive schadenfreude. In short: Uncomfortable times are ahead for the 80-year-old and his aides.

Top Democrat: “Get yourselves some lawyers!”
Robert Garcia, who is expected to take over the powerful House Oversight Committee, sent an unmistakable message to the opposing camp on election night: “Get yourselves some lawyers.” According to reports, the Democrats have been keeping track for months of every cent the Trump clan has earned through the presidency—for example, through “digital scams” or insider trading.

“They’ll have to plant new forests for all the subpoenas we’re going to print,” Democratic Senator Ed Markey threatened on X. His colleague Ron Wyden wrote just one word: “Subpoenas!” Because voters, too, have had enough of Trump and his controversial agendas. Unsurprisingly, war, corruption, and skyrocketing costs do not go over well with the general public. As the “Krone” reported in detail on election night, U.S. citizens sparked a “blue tsunami” and shifted the majorities in both chambers of Congress in favor of the Democrats.

The Republicans were swept off the political map even in Southern states like Texas and South Carolina. Even in deep-red Mississippi—the heartland of white nationalists—the Senate seat is still within reach for the Democrats. Their candidate, Scott Colom, currently leads by 1,852 votes.

What the Democrats Are Focusing On
By recapturing both chambers of Congress, they regain far-reaching powers to curb Trump’s political agenda and launch sweeping congressional investigations.

The oversight committees in both chambers act as political watchdogs. They have the power to subpoena witnesses and request sensitive government documents. Garcia announced that he would focus on the Trump family’s finances, abuses at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, and the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. Elon Musk’s role in the “Department of Government Efficiency” (Doge) will also be scrutinized closely.

“People can’t afford gas, groceries, or rent because Donald Trump and his family are exploiting the American people and enriching themselves. The fight against corruption is about making life more affordable for working families,” the Democrat explained.

That’s true—but only to a certain extent, of course. After all, people’s high cost of living cannot be explained solely by the Trump family’s shady tactics. That would be too simple.

Subpoenas don’t change lives
And this is exactly where the Democrats’ problems begin. Because the party now has to deliver—and doesn’t even know how yet. One catchphrase is now being heard particularly often: “Let’s get to work!” So the Democrats are putting their heads together and want to “get to work.” At the very least, this gives the illusion of a certain dynamism within a deeply divided party.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from New York is considered the leader of the socialists within the Democratic Party. She is already toying with the idea of a presidential run.(Bild: AFP/MICHAEL M. SANTIAGO)

Laura von Daniels, a U.S. expert at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), expects the internal power struggle to intensify. The overarching question is: How left-wing can politics in the U.S. be?

Candidates from both the conservative and left-wing wings of the party made huge gains in the midterms—and will continue to believe their course is the right one in federal politics as well. 

Their success is also deeply intertwined with the unpredictable whims of Donald Trump. Whether the president cooperates with Congress over the next two years or continues to govern by bypassing it will likely have a decisive impact on the starting point for the next election.

Democratic Power Is Limited
The Democrats will not be able to capitalize on the advantages of their new majorities in the Senate and the House of Representatives until some time later. The new legislative session does not begin until early January. And it remains to be seen how much of their agenda the Democrats will actually be able to push through. On the one hand, the precarious financial situation of the U.S. sets limits—on the other, Trump can block legislative proposals with his veto.

He already announced on election night that he intends to abuse this right. “They’ll send things (presumably: bills) over that are insane, and I’ll veto them.” His power in this matter is “unassailable,” he declared in a live phone interview with Fox News. As a self-proclaimed master negotiator, he would of course talk to the Democrats, but he would reject anything that “doesn’t look good.”

On his social media platform, he posted a photo of a MAGA cap with one word: “VETO!”