President Donald Trump was asked in a new interview how he might handle a Congress controlled by Democrats after the 2026 midterm elections. His answer led to an unexpected exchange with the interviewer, who pushed back on one of his claims.
The interview was conducted by Punchbowl News. Reporter Jake Sherman asked Trump about the possibility of Democrats retaking the House of Representatives and launching investigations or a second impeachment against him.
Trump responded by pointing to his own standing, but Sherman quickly corrected him on who actually holds that view.
Reporter pushes back after Trump cites his standing among Democrats
Sherman asked Trump: “If Democrats do take over the House, it’s just going to be investigation mania. They’re going to do oversight. They could impeach you again. Do you think they will?” Trump replied, “Well, a lot of people are saying I’m one of the greatest presidents ever.” Sherman responded, “They’re not saying that though,” referring to Democrats.
Trump then said, “Yeah, but they know. They see the results.” He followed this by listing what he described as achievements of his administration, including higher levels of investment in the United States than at any point in history, new factory construction, growth in artificial intelligence investment, and companies moving operations from countries such as Mexico, Canada, Germany, and Japan to the U.S.
Trump also spoke about whether the coalition of voters who backed him in the last presidential election will turn out for Republicans in the 2026 midterms, since his name will not be on the ballot.
“If I don’t run, will those people go out and vote, and that’s the one thing I can’t tell,” Trump said. He added that he believes some conservative voters are frustrated with Republicans in Congress, though not with him personally. “A lot of them are very angry at Republicans, to be honest with you … they are not angry with me, but they are angry with Republicans,” Trump said.
According to prediction market Kalshi, Republicans currently have less than a 20 percent chance of keeping control of the House. Their odds of holding the Senate are higher, at 54 percent. Trump has previously outlined other steps aimed at strengthening the GOP’s midterm turnout ahead of November.
Trump said he plans to use his political fundraising money to support Republican candidates in the midterms. “I could spend it on pretty much anything I want,” he said, adding, “I’m going to help Republicans.” Trump’s political action committee, MAGA Inc., reported having $400 million in cash on hand as of its most recent filing with the Federal Election Commission in late June.
If Republicans lose control of either the House or the Senate, any legislation Trump wants passed would need support from Democratic lawmakers.
During the interview, Trump also discussed his relationships with House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Republican Leader John Thune. He described Johnson as a “fantastic person,” noting that the two have worked together on legislation and that Johnson has generally been able to secure votes on major bills.
When asked whether he would support Thune continuing to lead Senate Republicans next year, Trump did not give a direct answer. “I don’t want to get into that,” he said. He did say there was no “disconnect” between the two of them, adding, “I think we have a good relationship.”
Trump has pushed for the Senate to pass voter ID legislation that has already cleared the House. He has said the legislation is important for Republicans ahead of the midterms, citing his claims that past elections were “rigged.”
Trump has separately laid out his case for a sweeping voting rights bill, tying its passage to Republicans’ long-term election chances. Thune has reportedly told Trump that he does not currently have enough votes within the Senate Republican conference to pass the bill.
Published: Aug 9, 2026 02:00 pm