Washington, October 2026 : US President Donald Trump has said he would rely on his veto powers and negotiate deals with Democrats if the opposition party wins control of either the House of Representatives or the Senate in the November 3 midterm elections. Trump also highlighted an increase in consumer confidence and claimed that Venezuela had sent a million barrels of oil to the United States as a “gift”.
Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews on Tuesday before his departure, Trump was asked how he would work with Democrats if Republicans failed to retain control of Congress.
“We’ll figure a way. Look, I hope that that won’t be the case, but if it is, that’s happened before with many Presidents, you have strong veto and you end up working on deals,” he said.
The US midterm elections will determine the balance of power in both chambers of Congress for the final two years of Trump's term. A Democratic victory in either chamber could complicate the administration's legislative agenda and require greater negotiations between the two parties.
Trump Highlights Rise in US Consumer Confidence
Trump also welcomed the latest consumer confidence figures released by the Conference Board, describing the increase as a strong economic indicator.
“We just had a consumer confidence report just came out it’s up at a record number a record increase 7.5 per cent,” Trump told reporters, adding that such an increase was unusual.
However, the Conference Board reported that its Consumer Confidence Index rose by 7.5 points to 91.7 in October, compared with 84.2 in September. The increase was measured in index points, rather than percentage points or a 7.5 per cent rise. The organisation did not describe it as a record increase, saying consumer confidence had recovered to levels last seen in June.
Fergus McCormick, senior economist at the Conference Board, said the improvement was consistent with falling retail gasoline prices between September and October.
However, he cautioned that despite the October recovery, consumer confidence remained on a longer-term downward trend that had persisted over the previous several years.
The board also reported that consumers' average 12-month inflation expectations had eased but remained elevated at 5.8 per cent, indicating continuing concerns about the cost of living.
Trump Claims Venezuela Sent One Million Barrels of Oil
On energy prices, Trump claimed that Venezuela had sent a large shipment of oil to the United States, describing the delivery as a gift.
“We took over Venezuela very successfully. And they’ve sent me as a gift, a boatload of a million barrels of oil,” he said, adding that the oil would be given to the American people to use as they wished.
Trump also predicted that oil prices would decline sharply, linking the shipment to his broader message on energy costs.
Fuel prices have emerged as a significant issue in the US midterm election campaign, with gasoline costs affected by geopolitical tensions and the conflict in the Middle East.
Trump's remarks on congressional control, consumer confidence and oil supplies come as Republicans seek to maintain their position in Congress and address voter concerns over the economy, inflation and household expenses.
The November 3 elections are expected to shape the political environment for the remainder of Trump's presidency, influencing negotiations over legislation, economic policy and federal spending.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
