Axios: The Democrats' Victory Has Jeopardized Trump's Multibillion-dollar Projects
- 5.11.2026, 11:30
The election results also dealt a blow to the position of U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegset.
The Democratic Party’s victory in the U.S. congressional elections has jeopardized the implementation of President Donald Trump’s major defense projects, writes Axios reports, citing an analysis note from the TD Cowen Washington Research Group. These include the “Golden Dome” missile defense system, costing up to $175 billion, as well as the “Golden Fleet” program — a fleet of 280–300 ships, including manned vessels and unmanned craft, estimated to cost $275 billion by 2056.
“The projects promoted by Trump are doomed to fail,” the research note states. The document notes that the Democrats’ victory deprived the Republicans of the opportunity to use a simple majority vote to approve the proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget. In addition, the election results dealt a blow to the position of U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegset. Dissatisfaction over the war with Iran, which has been ongoing for more than half a year, may accelerate congressional investigations into the head of the Department of Defense. Lawmakers from both parties, including Democrat Pat Ryan and Republican Thomas Massie, have raised the possibility of impeaching Hegset.
Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand stated that Hegset will have to answer for his actions. Meanwhile, Trump told reporters that he is not considering firing the secretary. “No, I think he’s doing a very good job,” said the White House chief.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer promised, following his party’s election victory, to end the war with Iran, noting that “the American people don’t understand what we’re fighting for.” According to him, the Democrats will conduct investigations and file lawsuits against the Trump administration. The U.S. president, in turn, directly linked the Republicans’ defeat in the election to the war with Iran and the subsequent rise in gas prices in the U.S.
According to preliminary results from the November 3 U.S. elections, the Democratic Party has gained control of both chambers of Congress. According to NBC News estimates, the Democrats can expect to hold 258 of the 435 seats in the House of Representatives, with 218 needed for a majority. In the Senate, they secured 54 seats, compared to 44 for the Republicans.