White House plans for congressional scrutiny as midterm fears grow
WIRED reports aides fear Republicans could lose both chambers, while Donald Trump remains more upbeat about the party’s prospects.
President Donald Trump has told aides Republicans could outperform expectations in November’s US midterm elections, but some White House aides privately fear the party may lose control of both the House and Senate, WIRED reports.
The report says the White House has begun preparing for possible Democratic investigations, with plans to invoke executive privilege and attorney-client protections to resist congressional scrutiny. The election outcome and any legal disputes remain uncertain.
Trump’s optimism is partly informed by internal polling that reportedly shows Republicans trailing by less in individual House races. His approval rating was 37 per cent in a Wall Street Journal poll cited by WIRED.
The administration has also pursued foreign policy agreements it hopes could help turnout among Trump’s supporters. But the report says voters are more focused on domestic costs, including grocery and petrol prices. AAA put the national average for regular petrol at $4.43 a gallon.
WIRED reports that aides hope the legal protections could delay investigations for years, citing former White House counsel Don McGahn’s delayed testimony to Congress as precedent. The scale of any Republican losses, and the outcome of potential privilege disputes, are not yet known.
