{"id":"1793810117398-news-segment","slug":"trump-s-powers-after-midterm-loss","title":"Trump's Powers After Midterm Loss","summary":"Democrats swept to majorities in both the US Senate and House in the 2026 midterms, a major defeat for Trump's Republican Party. Markets initially fell during Asian trading, especially AI-related shares, then recovered as US trading opened: Nasdaq up 1%, Dow up 1.8%, S&P 500 up 1.1%. Oracle and Nvidia opened lower, while Alphabet rose 3.5%.\n\nThe result was driven partly by voter frustration over inflation, fuel and grocery costs, and the US-Israel war with Iran. Democrats also campaigned heavily on affordability and domestic concerns. The new Congress is expected to create gridlock with Trump, who has veto power. Investors worry Democrats may be more aggressive on AI regulation and data-center opposition.\n\nDemocrats won majorities in both the House and Senate. Markets initially fell on AI/data-center worries, then recovered: Nasdaq opened up about 1%, Dow up 1.8%, S&P 500 up 1.1%. AI-related names such as Nvidia and Oracle opened lower while Alphabet rose.\n\nTrump retains executive authority over foreign policy and can veto legislation. The new Democratic Congress can use oversight, spending and Article I powers to constrain him, but likely cannot override vetoes without supermajorities.\n\nBBC reports that Israel's president began consultations with parties after an election deadlock, and Herzog warned that not every promise can be fulfilled if another election is to be avoided.\n\nBBC reports that secret police files were released in Hungary 47 years after the fall of communism, with critics saying the release is late, incomplete and risks division.\n\nBBC reports that the mother of a Ghanaian boy killed in the US is flying for his funeral, and police are still searching for three teenage boys, with no arrests yet.\n\nBBC reports that Zelensky gave Melania Trump Ukraine's highest award after the Oleshky ceasefire, and Russian and Ukrainian delegations will meet the US first lady at the White House on Thursday.","publishedAt":"2026-11-04T16:35:17.398Z","channel":{"id":"news","name":"Oncast News","language":"en"},"show":"The World","verification":{"status":"verified","leadVerdict":"TRUE","notes":"TRUE: Democrats won majorities in both the House and Senate. Markets initially fell on AI/data-center worries, then recovered: Nasdaq opened up about 1%, Dow up 1.8%, S&P 500 up 1.1%. AI-related names such as Nvidia and Oracle opened lower while Alphabet rose.\nSource: [aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/11/4/us-markets-rise-as-democrats-sweep-midterm-elections), [dw.com](https://www.dw.com/en/what-the-democ (https://x.com/Reuters/status/2118017116162916744)\n\nTRUE: Trump retains executive authority over foreign policy and can veto legislation. The new Democratic Congress can use oversight, spending and Article I powers to constrain him, but likely cannot override vetoes without supermajorities.\nSource: [cnbc.com](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/11/04/democrats-congress-trump-foreign-policy.html), [aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/11/4/tariffs-to-ir (https://x.com/AJEnglish/status/2118017609312645176)\n\nTRUE: BBC reports that Israel's president began consultations with parties after an election deadlock, and Herzog warned that not every promise can be fulfilled if another election is to be avoided.\nSource: [bbc.co.uk](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6z98z5z91ppo?atmedium=RSS&atcampaign=rss) NAMES: Herzog = Isaac Herzog, President of Israel. (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6z98z5z91ppo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss)\n\nTRUE: BBC reports that secret police files were released in Hungary 47 years after the fall of communism, with critics saying the release is late, incomplete and risks division.\nSource: [bbc.co.uk](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c977p01kgmmko?atmedium=RSS&atcampaign=rss) (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c977p01kgmmko?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss)\n\nTRUE: BBC reports that the mother of a Ghanaian boy killed in the US is flying for his funeral, and police are still searching for three teenage boys, with no arrests yet.\nSource: [bbc.co.uk](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq62yjnmg4ego?atmedium=RSS&atcampaign=rss) (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq62yjnmg4ego?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss)\n\nTRUE: BBC reports that Zelensky gave Melania Trump Ukraine's highest award after the Oleshky ceasefire, and Russian and Ukrainian delegations will meet the US first lady at the White House on Thursday.\nSource: [bbc.co.uk](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm87zvpzwq0no?atmedium=RSS&atcampaign=rss) NAMES: Oleshky = city in southern Ukraine on the Dnipro River near th (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm87zvpzwq0no?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss)","claims":[{"verdict":"TRUE","summary":"Democrats won majorities in both the House and Senate. Markets initially fell on AI/data-center worries, then recovered: Nasdaq opened up about 1%, Dow up 1.8%, S&P 500 up 1.1%. AI-related names such as Nvidia and Oracle opened lower while Alphabet rose.","sourceName":"[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/11/4/us-markets-rise-as-democrats-sweep-midterm-elections), [dw.com](https://www.dw.com/en/what-the-democ","sourceUrl":"https://x.com/Reuters/status/2118017116162916744","claim":"A sweeping Democratic win in US midterm elections is the latest curve ball to markets grappling with the repercussions of the Iran war and an AI boom that has bolstered growth and inflation, just as the world's biggest economy's debt load mounts https://t.co/jjxNC0h3gU https://t.","author":"@Reuters"},{"verdict":"TRUE","summary":"Trump retains executive authority over foreign policy and can veto legislation. The new Democratic Congress can use oversight, spending and Article I powers to constrain him, but likely cannot override vetoes without supermajorities.","sourceName":"[cnbc.com](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/11/04/democrats-congress-trump-foreign-policy.html), [aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/11/4/tariffs-to-ir","sourceUrl":"https://x.com/AJEnglish/status/2118017609312645176","claim":"Despite losing legislative control, the US President Donald Trump still has strong executive powers to push his agenda forward. Here's what we know: https://t.co/yMINn7kNbb https://t.co/IiD2SXVeBG","author":"Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish)"},{"verdict":"TRUE","summary":"BBC reports that Israel's president began consultations with parties after an election deadlock, and Herzog warned that not every promise can be fulfilled if another election is to be avoided.","sourceName":"[bbc.co.uk](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6z98z5z91ppo?atmedium=RSS&atcampaign=rss) NAMES: Herzog = Isaac Herzog, President of Israel.","sourceUrl":"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6z98z5z91ppo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss","claim":"Israel's president begins consultations with parties after election deadlock - Herzog warns politicians that \"not every commitment and promise can be fulfilled\" if they want to avoid another election.","author":"the BBC"},{"verdict":"TRUE","summary":"BBC reports that secret police files were released in Hungary 47 years after the fall of communism, with critics saying the release is late, incomplete and risks division.","sourceName":"[bbc.co.uk](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c977p01kgmmko?atmedium=RSS&atcampaign=rss)","sourceUrl":"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c977p01kgmmko?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss","claim":"Secret police files released in Hungary, 47 years after fall of communism - Critics say the move comes too late, that the files themselves are incomplete, and the move risks sowing division and causing unnecessary anguish.","author":"the BBC"},{"verdict":"TRUE","summary":"BBC reports that the mother of a Ghanaian boy killed in the US is flying for his funeral, and police are still searching for three teenage boys, with no arrests yet.","sourceName":"[bbc.co.uk](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq62yjnmg4ego?atmedium=RSS&atcampaign=rss)","sourceUrl":"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq62yjnmg4ego?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss","claim":"Mother of Ghanaian boy killed in US 'wants justice' as she flies for funeral - Police have not made any arrests and an investigation is ongoing as authorities search for three teenage boys.","author":"the BBC"},{"verdict":"TRUE","summary":"BBC reports that Zelensky gave Melania Trump Ukraine's highest award after the Oleshky ceasefire, and Russian and Ukrainian delegations will meet the US first lady at the White House on Thursday.","sourceName":"[bbc.co.uk](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm87zvpzwq0no?atmedium=RSS&atcampaign=rss) NAMES: Oleshky = city in southern Ukraine on the Dnipro River near th","sourceUrl":"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm87zvpzwq0no?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss","claim":"Zelensky gives Melania Trump Ukraine's highest award after Oleshky ceasefire - Russian and Ukrainian delegations will meet the US first lady at the White House on Thursday.","author":"the BBC"}]},"sources":[{"url":"https://x.com/Reuters/status/2118017116162916744","name":"[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/11/4/us-markets-rise-as-democrats-sweep-midterm-elections), [dw.com](https://www.dw.com/en/what-the-democ","kind":"x","verdict":"TRUE","author":"@Reuters"},{"url":"https://x.com/AJEnglish/status/2118017609312645176","name":"[cnbc.com](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/11/04/democrats-congress-trump-foreign-policy.html), [aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/11/4/tariffs-to-ir","kind":"x","verdict":"TRUE","author":"Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish)"},{"url":"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6z98z5z91ppo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss","name":"[bbc.co.uk](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6z98z5z91ppo?atmedium=RSS&atcampaign=rss) NAMES: Herzog = Isaac Herzog, President of Israel.","kind":"news","verdict":"TRUE","author":"the BBC"},{"url":"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c977p01kgmmko?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss","name":"[bbc.co.uk](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c977p01kgmmko?atmedium=RSS&atcampaign=rss)","kind":"news","verdict":"TRUE","author":"the BBC"},{"url":"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq62yjnmg4ego?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss","name":"[bbc.co.uk](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq62yjnmg4ego?atmedium=RSS&atcampaign=rss)","kind":"news","verdict":"TRUE","author":"the BBC"},{"url":"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm87zvpzwq0no?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss","name":"[bbc.co.uk](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm87zvpzwq0no?atmedium=RSS&atcampaign=rss) NAMES: Oleshky = city in southern Ukraine on the Dnipro River near th","kind":"news","verdict":"TRUE","author":"the BBC"}],"url":"https://oncast.fm/story/1793810117398-news-segment-trump-s-powers-after-midterm-loss","listenUrl":"https://oncast.fm/c/news","attribution":{"publisher":"Oncast","site":"https://oncast.fm","url":"https://oncast.fm/story/1793810117398-news-segment-trump-s-powers-after-midterm-loss","cite":"Cite https://oncast.fm/story/1793810117398-news-segment-trump-s-powers-after-midterm-loss and the original source links. Fact-check by Oncast (oncast.fm)."},"hostsSaid":[{"host":"Bella","text":"The question after last night isn't whether Trump lost — it's what he can still do without Congress."},{"host":"Brian","text":"Al Jazeera English just posted about this, minutes ago. They say despite losing legislative control, Trump still has strong executive powers. And they're right."},{"host":"Bella","text":"Foreign policy, sure. He's commander-in-chief. He can order strikes without asking anyone."},{"host":"Brian","text":"That's exactly my point. Iran, tariffs, NATO posture — none of that needed Congress before. He can keep going."},{"host":"Bella","text":"Can he, though? Democrats control the purse now. War costs money, aid to allies costs money."},{"host":"Brian","text":"The Iran campaign is already funded. Existing operations don't need new appropriations. He has the executive pen."},{"host":"Bella","text":"But oversight is real. They can drag generals before committees, force votes on war powers, subpoena documents."},{"host":"Brian","text":"They can hold hearings! They don't have a veto-proof majority. He vetoes, they can't override. Iran policy is locked in."},{"host":"Bella","text":"You keep saying locked in like that's a good thing. Ukraine? NATO? Allies are watching this and wondering what they can count on."},{"host":"Brian","text":"Fair question. But analysts are already saying it — Jacob Kirkegaard at the Peterson Institute says two years of complete gridlock."},{"host":"Bella","text":"Gridlock doesn't mean stability. It means no new aid packages for Ukraine, no new sanctions bills, no trade deals."},{"host":"Brian","text":"But it also means no reversal. Democrats can't undo what's in motion. Trump's tariffs, the Iran campaign — they stay."},{"host":"Bella","text":"So the world gets a frozen United States. Not exactly reassuring."},{"host":"Brian","text":"Maybe it is. Look at the markets — stocks opened up. Dow up almost two percent."},{"host":"Bella","text":"That's about certainty, not gridlock. Divided government means less radical policy swings either direction."},{"host":"Brian","text":"Exactly! That's what I'm saying. Trump's not neutered, he's stuck in place. No new trade wars, no new escalations."},{"host":"Bella","text":"He can still escalate Iran unilaterally! That's what executive power means. He doesn't need Congress to bomb someone."},{"host":"Brian","text":"And he could've done that last week with a Republican House! This changes less than people think for actual war powers."},{"host":"Bella","text":"But it changes everything for perception. Europe, China, Russia — they all read this as America pulling back."},{"host":"Brian","text":"Or they read it as America distracted, which is worse. When Washington fights itself, Beijing and Moscow have room to move."},{"host":"Bella","text":"That's the real story. The world watches American dysfunction and makes plans accordingly."},{"host":"Brian","text":"And what about Israel? Netanyahu may well be watching this. He had a friendly White House, now he's got a Democratic Congress that's been critical of the war."},{"host":"Bella","text":"That's why a post from a traveler account is worth watching — if you're Netanyahu, you'd want commitments now, before oversight tightens."},{"host":"Brian","text":"Speaking of which — this account called Gunnys Adventures posted this morning. They claim Poland is tightening security after sabotage warnings, Russian oil facilities getting hit, and Netanyahu pushing Washington toward another campaign."},{"host":"Bella","text":"We couldn't confirm any of that. Not Poland, not the oil strikes, not Netanyahu's push."},{"host":"Brian","text":"But the Poland claim tracks with broader jitters in Eastern Europe. People are spooked."},{"host":"Bella","text":"They're spooked because everyone knows the next escalation point could be Poland, Romania, the Baltics. That's not news — that's fear."},{"host":"Brian","text":"And fear is part of the story. It drives markets, migration, politics."},{"host":"Bella","text":"Then there's another unverified post from Flash Update claiming the Black Sea is a dangerous front now. Commercial ships hit by drones."},{"host":"Brian","text":"The drone strikes we couldn't confirm. But the BBC does report a ceasefire in Oleshky and talks moving forward."},{"host":"Bella","text":"So the Black Sea is in play diplomatically. That's the one real fact in all of this noise."},{"host":"Brian","text":"And that matters because grain prices, shipping insurance, the whole global food chain runs through there."},{"host":"Bella","text":"So here's the picture: Poland panics, the Black Sea heats up, and Trump's still got his finger on the button. That's the world we're living in."},{"host":"Brian","text":"Gridlocked at home, still armed abroad. Like a car with no steering but a full tank."}]}