With Congress flipped, what does Trump do next?

Democrats won both chambers of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections, retaking the Senate and the House of Representatives in what BBC calls a historic sweep. The outcome removes President Donald Trump's command over the legislative branch for the last two years of his time in office and leaves him with less power to work with.

BBC correspondent Nada Tawfik uses a short video explainer to consider the options open to Trump now that he has lost both chambers. Trump himself responded to the results by saying "Democrats did a good job."

BBC's coverage also gathers reaction from around the country. Some voters said Democrats had gotten what they wanted, while others voiced hope that Washington will now accomplish something. Separate reporting examines how changes in Texas voter behavior helped put a Democratic senator and a Democratic governor in office there. The video is part of a broader BBC series on the 2026 midterms, which also includes a recap of key moments from the results.

Summarized by PolitiKool from BBC’s reporting. Read the full story at BBC →