What is the current state of US politics?

I'll gather the latest on the state of US politics for you.

As of November 5, 2026, the United States is entering a period of divided government following the November 3, 2026 midterm elections:

1. Executive Branch

The President is Republican Donald Trump, serving his second term.

His job approval has fallen to record lows heading into the midterms:

•Some 31% of Americans approve of Mr. Trump’s performance in office, down a percentage point from two weeks earlier and the lowest level in either of his presidential terms

•Only 31% of Americans approved of Trump’s presidency, the lowest approval level recorded in either of his two terms as president

•A Reuters/Ipsos poll found 68% of Americans disapprove of Mr. Trump’s handling of the economy

•Disapproval of Trump’s handling of the economy was 68%, and 65% of Americans see Trump's economic policies as hurtful to the economy cited in other polling.

2. Legislative Branch - The 2026 Midterms Changed Control

Before the election:
The United States was in a federal Republican trifecta, meaning both chambers of Congress and the president are Republican.

•Republicans hold majorities in both chambers, with 53 seats in the Senate and 218 seats in the House

•Republicans control both chambers of Congress heading into the November 3, 2026 midterms : 53-47 in the Senate and 218-214 in the House

•Democrats need a net gain of four seats in both the US House of Representatives and US Senate to overturn Republicans' narrow 218-214 and 53-47 majorities

All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 seats in the U.S. Senate were contested to determine the 120th United States Congress.

Election held November 3, 2026, during the second term of Republican president Donald Trump.

Results as of November 4, 2026:
The 3 November 2026 United States midterm elections fundamentally changed the political balance in Washington by giving the Democratic Party control of both chambers of Congress while President Donald Trump remained in office.

•The Democrats have taken control of Congress. The party currently has 54 seats in the Senate, with Alaska and Mississippi yet to be decided, and has 231 seats to Republicans' 139 in the House, with 65 seats yet to be announced

•As of November 4, the Democratic Party is projected to have won a majority of seats in both houses of Congress, and won numerous other offices currently held by Republicans

•The United States midterm elections of 3 November 2026 have fundamentally altered the political balance in Washington. Democrats have been projected to capture both the House of Representatives and the Senate, transforming the final two years of President Donald Trump's second term into a period of divided government

•Washington is heading toward an unusually confrontational period of divided government after Democrats won control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate in the November 2026 midterm elections

The new balance will take effect in January 2027, when the 120th Congress takes office. Until then the 119th Congress (Republican-controlled) remains in session during the lame-duck period.

3. What Divided Government Means

Analysts describe three interconnected effects:

a) Legislative power shifts:

•It deprived the Trump administration of unified Republican control of Washington

•Democrats can prevent most major Republican legislation from passing Congress

•However, Democrats cannot simply enact their own program. Donald Trump retains the presidential veto, and overriding a veto requires a two-thirds majority in both chambers

b) Senate confirmation and oversight:
Democratic control of the Senate may be even more strategically significant. The Senate confirms Cabinet officials, ambassadors and federal judges. Democratic committees can hold hearings, issue subpoenas, summon administration officials and investigate matters ranging from the Iran conflict and Ukraine policy to immigration, tariffs, government contracting and alleged conflicts of interest.

c) Two likely scenarios for 2027-2028:
Analysts outline that the most likely scenario is legislative gridlock but increasing presidential foreign-policy activism:
This is arguably the most likely scenario. Domestic legislation becomes increasingly difficult. Democratic investigations expand.

Historical precedents cited are Ronald Reagan after 1986, Bill Clinton after 1994 and George W. Bush after 2006, where presidents shifted energy from domestic legislation toward diplomacy and national security where executive authority is stronger.

A second scenario is sustained institutional warfare with investigations, budget restrictions, War Powers legislation, vetoes and executive orders and .

4. Current Political Climate and Key Issues

The election was fought amid high polarization, low trust in institutions, and voter dissatisfaction.

Polls identified the "Four I's" shaping voter choices:

> Inflation, institutional mistrust, the Iran war and immigration are the four issues shaping voter choices in the 2026 United States midterm elections

More specifically:

•Economy / Cost of Living: In a Pew Research Center survey, 84% of registered voters said the economy is "very important" to their vote. Voters have consistently ranked the cost of living as the top issue this election cycle. Half of registered voters surveyed in a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll cited the cost of living as the most important factor in how they will vote. Overall inflation in August was at 3.4 per cent, gas prices averaged $4.28 - $1.20 higher than a year ago, and grocery costs are up 1.8% over the past year.

•Immigration: 45% call immigration and crime a top issue. Immigration was very important to 59% of voters in Pew polling. Preliminary data showed a 95% drop in migrants apprehended at the southwest border compared to former President Joe Biden-era levels.

•Foreign Policy - War with Iran: The war with Iran and immigration are among the prominent issues in the race. About 65% of respondents disapproved of his handling of the Iran war in NYT/Siena polling.

•Institutional and political polarization: With President Donald Trump's record-low popularity, voter frustration over the cost of living and a fierce immigration fight shaping the November 3 midterm elections, which will determine whether Republicans keep control of Congress or Democrats gain the power to challenge his administration.

The result is interpreted as a political warning to the White House, with election reporting identifying living costs, tariffs, economic dissatisfaction and the war with Iran among the issues contributing to the result.

5. Outlook

•January 2027-January 2029: For Donald Trump, the period between January 2027 and January 2029 may be less about implementing an ambitious domestic legislative program and more about defending the authority and legacy of his presidency. The central political reality of 2027-2028 will be divided government.

•Impeachment is unlikely to lead to removal: A Democratic House could approve articles of impeachment by a simple majority. Conviction and removal by the Senate, however, requires a two-thirds majority.

•2028 Presidential Election: Congressional control gives Democrats a platform for the 2028 presidential election, providing national visibility, committee chairmanships and investigative authority. Trump will be term-limited and cannot run again, so both parties are beginning positioning for the next presidential contest.

In summary, as of late 2026 the U.S. has a Republican president with historically low approval facing a newly elected Democratic Congress, high voter concern over inflation and affordability, intense debates over immigration and ongoing foreign engagements, and an expectation of legislative gridlock with heightened oversight and increasing reliance on executive action for the next two years.

Citations (1)

1ictsglobal.orgNot yet classified
The 2026 U.S. Midterm Elections: A Democratic Congress, the Constraints on the Trump Presidency, and the Future of American Foreign Policy
Backs: “The United States midterm elections of 3 November 2026 have fundamentally altered the political balance in Washington. Democrats have been projected to capture both the House of Representatives and the Senate, transforming the final two years of President Donald Trump's second term into a period of divided government”