Donald Trump is said to be “thinking big” about his legacy. The big numbers behind him strengthen his hand in shaping it.
He has pledged sweeping proposals that would introduce major reforms in American society.
But it is the process of government that will determine how far Donald Trump can roll out his MAGA agenda.
While some of his election pledges can be enacted unilaterally, in the form of an executive order, much of his agenda must be passed by US lawmakers in Congress, underpinning its legitimacy in the eyes of the public. It’s also the law, most of the time.
Congress consists of the two chambers of political power – the Senate, comprising 100 senators, and the House, made up of 435 representatives.
They are the places where US legislation starts its journey, and is voted through – or not – on its way to the president for approval.
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The cushion in his Senate majority offers reassurance to Trump with regard to some of the more contentious matters he intends to push through.
But there are some ways in which the numbers may not seem so certain.
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There are Republican senators whose views are further from Trump than others. On contentious matters, he faces a danger that they could demur, leading to legislation being blocked.
Trump’s team selection is also causing anxiety among Republicans in the House of Representatives, as it’s eating into their total.
Unlike in the UK, where the cabinet is made up of MPs and peers, in the US, when a representative takes up a cabinet position, they have to give up their seat in the House.
Representatives Elise Stefanik and Mike Waltz have been selected as US ambassador to the United Nations and national security adviser, respectively.
Elise Stefanik. Pic: Reuters
Representative Mike Waltz at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Pic: Reuters
Speaker Mike Johnson has said he doesn’t “expect” Trump to nominate any more for administrative positions, “but I’ll leave that up to him”.
Dealing with two vacancies and a smaller majority could be troublesome for Republicans in a tight numbers game.
Two votes could make all the difference in guiding partisan legislation towards the new president’s desk.
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