Even as he campaigned for Republicans in Texas at the midterm convention, President Donald Trump downplayed how damaging a Democratic takeover of Congress would be for his legacy.
He told Fox News host Laura Ingraham in an interview that he'd use his remaining two years in office to block most of the opposing party's agenda, if that were to happen, and said Democratic control of Congress may not be that dire. The interview came at the Republicans' midterm convention in Dallas ahead of November's midterm election, in which the GOP is defending its slim majorities in both chambers of Congress.
Asked whether it was just as important to help Republicans keep control of the House
and Senate as his own election to office was, Trump began by saying: "It's never as important. Look, I'm campaigning for other people."
"When you say my legacy, I'll be a block. I'll end up being blocker. I'll block all their bad stuff for two years. It won't be the same, but I'll be a blocker," Trump added.
Republicans have control of the Senate and House of Representatives, which has allowed the party to set the legislative agenda in Congress for Trump's first two years of his second term and aided the passage of Trump priorities, like the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. If Democrats win majorities in one or both chambers – a scenario that many political analysts view as plausible – then Trump's ability to push his agenda for his remaining two years in office would be complicated.
Trump suggested that he'd even be able to make some deals with Democrats, saying, "They're going to want some stuff."
"So it's not as dire, maybe it is as dire," Trump assessed.
Trump said that while he expects a Democratic majority to try to impeach him again, he thinks Democrats' "communist" policy will work against them.
Trump's comments came as the Republican party hosted its first-ever midterm convention, where millions of dollars were spent to bolster the party's message and priorities ahead of the midterms. Trump told the crowd on the first night of the convention that if Republicans maintained their majority, he would offer $5,000 to every U.S. adult.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Not as dire': Trump downplays a Republican loss in the midterms
