President Donald Trump said Friday that if Democrats win control of Congress in next month’s midterm elections, he will answer gridlock with his veto pen, according to remarks he made to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House.
“Well, I think the Republicans are going to win. But if there was, you call it gridlock, what happens is I veto everything,” Trump said, according to the Washington Examiner. “And then the Democrats come and they want to make a deal. So we’ll work it out.”
Trump:
If there's a political gridlock, what happens is I veto everything, and Democrats come to make a deal. pic.twitter.com/Xid7GJv4OB
— Clash Report (@clashreport) October 23, 2026
When pressed on what a Democratic Congress would mean for the second half of his term, Trump described the veto as a time-tested tool, according to The Epoch Times. He said that historically a president would “veto, veto, veto, and they come and they say, ‘How do we get it done.’ And we make a deal,” the outlet reported.
A warning shot before Nov. 3
The comments came less than two weeks before the Nov. 3 midterms, as Republicans defend narrow majorities in both the House and the Senate, according to The Epoch Times. The Washington Examiner reported that Trump’s threat would apply if Democrats flip either chamber.
Trump spoke as he prepared to leave Washington for a campaign rally in Fort Myers, Florida, and a weekend in Palm Beach, according to the Associated Press. He also told reporters he expects to cast his own early ballot in Florida, saying, “I think we’re voting tomorrow in Florida,” the AP reported. Early voting in Palm Beach County began Monday and runs through Nov. 1, according to the AP.
How the veto math works
Under the Constitution, Congress can override a presidential veto only with a two-thirds vote in both chambers. That means even a Democratic majority in the House or Senate would need substantial Republican support to undo a Trump veto.
Trump has used the veto sparingly so far. He has issued two vetoes during his second term, according to The Epoch Times, compared with 13 by former President Joe Biden and 10 during Trump’s own first term.
The president’s message to voters was two-sided. On one hand, Trump projected confidence, telling reporters he believes Republicans will hold Congress, according to the Washington Examiner. On the other, he made clear that a Democratic majority would not be able to set the agenda on its own, and that any legislation would have to go through negotiations with the White House.
Throughout the campaign, Trump has tied some of his promises, including sending payments to Americans, to Republicans keeping control of the House and the Senate, according to The Epoch Times.
What comes next
Democrats have campaigned on affordability and on stepping up oversight of the administration if they win a majority. Trump’s remarks signal that a split government would likely mean a standoff in which the White House uses the veto as leverage to force deals, rather than signing bills written without its input.
Daily Beltway will continue to follow the president’s campaign swing and the final stretch of the midterm races.
Sources
- C-SPAN on X: Trump remarks on the South Lawn, Oct. 23, 2026
- Washington Examiner: Trump threatens to ‘veto everything’ during a Democratic Congress
- The Epoch Times: Trump Says He Will ‘Veto Everything’ If Democrats Win Midterms
- Associated Press: Live updates, Oct. 23, 2026
Sources cited
Sources
- Original post: Clash Report (@clashreport) on X, Oct 23, 2026
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