Trump Faces Congressional Pushback
President Trump's agenda is facing congressional pushback despite House/Senate votes allowing some policies to proceed amid GOP tensions. Key issues include stalled deportations and immigration enforcement despite stated priorities, with Iran strikes drawing disapproval in polls. Republicans are facing potential midterm losses with Dems eyeing House majority.
Recent polling reveals significant public disapproval of the recent military strikes against Iran, with a Washington Post poll showing 52% of Americans in opposition versus 39% in support. A CNN poll similarly found that 59% of Americans disapprove of the attack, and a Reuters/Ipsos poll reported that only about a quarter of Americans approve of the strikes. This sentiment is largely driven by political independents, who oppose the strikes by a roughly 2-to-1 margin. In Congress, attempts to halt the military action have been voted down. The Senate rejected a war powers resolution 47-53, with only one Republican, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, joining Democrats in favor of the measure. A similar measure in the House, co-sponsored by Republican Thomas Massie and Democrat Ro Khanna, also failed by a 212-219 vote. On the immigration front, the administration is pursuing what it calls the "largest domestic deportation operation" in U.S. history, backed by a significant funding increase for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) through the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act." This law allocates over $100 billion to ICE by 2029 and aims to hire 10,000 more enforcement officers. The administration has expanded "expedited removals," allowing for deportations without a court hearing, and has utilized the rarely used Alien Enemies Act of 1798. Reports from late 2025 indicated that ICE had already deported nearly 200,000 people in the seven months since Trump returned to office, with thousands of federal agents from other agencies, including the FBI, being reassigned to support immigration enforcement. These policies are forming a key battleground as the 2026 midterm elections approach. Historically, the party of a second-term president often faces losses in what is known as the "sixth-year jinx." Democrats need to gain a net of three seats to win a majority in the House of Representatives. Internal GOP tensions have also surfaced, with some Republicans publicly breaking with the President on various issues. Senators like Thom Tillis and Lisa Murkowski have pushed back on administration policies, while others have expressed frustration over the President's influence on Senate races and campaign strategy.
