The past 20 months have been unprecedented in U.S. history. Donald Trump has overridden the constitutional separation of powers and put America on the path to autocracy. And he has been protected by Republican majorities in Congress that have acquiesced in his one-man rule, refusing to limit his war powers, his global trade war, his vendettas against political enemies, his threats to interfere with elections or his wangling personal immunity from tax investigations by the I.R.S.

By contrast, majorities of rank-and-file Americans have voiced their disapproval of Trump’s presidency. In poll after poll, solid majorities have rejected what they see as Trump’s abuse of power, his trampling on Congress and the separation of powers. On specific issues, majorities have given thumbs down to his handling of the economy, his tariffs, inflation, the violence of the ICE immigration crackdown, and his costly, unprovoked war against Iran.

The question now is whether these unhappy majorities will take their anger to the ballot box and turn over control of the U.S. House and Senate to Democrats and others committed to checking Trump and starting to restore our constitutional guardrails in the next two years? Or will Trump find some way to disrupt the mid-term elections and control the outcome to keep Congress in the hands of Republicans so that he can accumulate even more power?

Pre-Order Hedrick’s Forthcoming Book:

The Road to Autocracy: How We Lost―and Can Recover―Our Democracy, released in March 9th, 2027. Hedrick’s new book will include results from the November 2026 Midterm elections.