Donald Trump restrained as Democrats win US House

Bloomberg

Donald Trump, who spent the past two years wielding the powers of the presidency unbound by party or political convention, is now constrained.
The Democratic takeover of the House of Representatives cripples his conservative agenda and opens the way for unfettered investigations into his scandal-plagued administration, his presidential campaign and his family’s business empire.
His personal tax returns may fall into the hands of his opponents. His re-election—always far from certain—may be even more dependent on the economy remaining at full steam.
Democrats picked up at least 26 GOP-held seats to gain control of the House.
In the Senate, Republicans preserved their majority. Contests were still too close to call for Senate races in Florida, Montana and Arizona.
Trump ignored the House loss in a morning tweet, saying: “Received so many Congratulations from so many on our Big Victory last night, including from foreign nations (friends) that were waiting me out, and hoping, on Trade Deals. Now we can all get back to work and get things done!”
The president now faces a fundamental choice. He can reach for bipartisan deals in areas such as infrastructure and health care or stick to a well-worn strategy of stoking passions on immigration and other divisive issues to maintain enthusiasm with his supporters. “The president’s agenda isn’t going to change, regardless of whose party is there,” White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters as results came in.
“We’re still going to be an administration that’s focussed on lowering taxes, growing our economy, creating jobs, defeating IS, remaking the judiciary, fixing the tremendous opioid crisis that we have. I think we can work with Democrats on that.”

Ambitions Dashed
But Trump’s ambitions to repeal Obamacare, dramatically restrict immigration, and push forward with additional tax cuts are dashed for the next two years with Representative Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, poised to retake the Speaker’s gavel. “The most likely outcome will be the Trump legislative agenda coming to a screeching halt,” said Doug Heye, a former spokesman for the House leadership and the Republican National Committee. “Look back at the Obama presidency. Election night 2010, the Obama legislative agenda ended.”
Trump’s cabinet, close aides and other senior administration officials face a gauntlet of subpoenas and public hearings in which hostile Democratic lawmakers will be able to rake through embarrassing ethical and political controversies. That, in turn, provides fodder for the field of Democratic challengers who will spend the next two years making the case against Trump’s re-election.
Should Trump decide to fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller or pull the plug on his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, House Democrats may not be able to stop him. But with control of the legislative chamber, they should be able to surface his findings or even pick up where he leaves off with their own investigation.
Yet a Republican majority in the Senate ensures that Trump can continue to reshape the US judiciary, a top priority for many conservatives.
GOP control of the Senate also gives Trump more leeway to win confirmation of his political appointments, and limits Democrats’ ability to constrain his foreign policy.