New Delhi [India], November 1 (ANI): Sharing insights into the upcoming US midterm elections, foreign affairs expert Robinder Sachdev on Sunday said that the elections are "extremely important" for President Donald Trump, and any loss of legislative majority could derail his domestic agenda, unleash congressional inquiries, and prompt a sharper pivot toward foreign affairs.
Speaking to ANI, Sachdev said that current opinion polls indicate a tough contest for the Republican Party in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. He pointed out that losing control of either chamber would deal a significant blow to Trump's policy priorities, including taxation, immigration, and deregulation.
“I think this midterm is extremely important for President Donald Trump. If Trump loses the majority in the Lower House, or in the Upper House, or in both the Houses, it will be a setback to President Trump's legislative agenda, his domestic agenda, his agenda on taxation, his agenda on immigration, his agenda on deregulation, environment, and all of those,” Sachdev said.
He explained that a Democratic-controlled chamber would gain committee chairmanships, enabling them to launch aggressive oversight.
“If Democrats gain a majority, then they will initiate, I would think, many, many inquiries, subpoenas—that is, they can call officials to come and answer before the Congress. There are multiple inquiries out there, including against Trump, which could include those related to the Epstein files,” he noted, warning that the final two years of Trump’s term could turn into a "troubled, lame-duck presidency" marked by intense political friction.
Sachdev also highlighted that a loss in the Senate would severely constrain Trump’s ability to appoint key administration personnel, agency chiefs, and ambassadors, as presidential appointments require Senate confirmation.
Sachdev further observed that historically, US presidents who find themselves stalled domestically due to a divided Congress tend to direct their energy toward international relations, where executive authority is significantly broader.
"When a President loses legislative majorities, he cannot pursue his agenda domestically because many of those things require legislative approvals. In such situations, it has been seen in the past that the President turns more actively to foreign affairs, which are driven more by executive orders and trade. The President has much more leeway and flexibility in conducting foreign policy and national security policy," Sachdev said.
He assessed that regardless of whether Republicans hold or lose Congress, Trump will become far more proactive globally.
"He has a vast menu to choose from in foreign affairs... in any case, even if he wins or loses overall in this midterms, Trump will get much more proactive in foreign affairs," Sachdev added.
Asked whether the midterm outcome could impact the ongoing negotiations for an interim trade deal between India and the United States, Sachdev asserted that the election results would not alter the trajectory of bilateral trade discussions.
"The results of these midterms will not, as such, impact the trade deal with India which is being discussed," Sachdev said, pointing out that tariff actions and trade negotiations fall under executive prerogative rather than congressional oversight.
"The tariffs that Trump is talking about imposing are under his executive authority under Section 232 and Section 301. Congress has no control over those. As well as the negotiation of the trade agreement, the various nuts and bolts are handled by the US Trade Representative (USTR)," he explained.
Sachdev concluded that while India and the US still need to bridge gaps to reach a consensus, the "last mile" negotiations remain strictly an executive matter unaffected by the congressional balance of power. (ANI)
US Midterms: Defeat could stall Trump's domestic agenda, but India trade talks safe, says expert
