Trump’s Power Play: How He Plans to Rule Without Congress

After midterm elections cost Republicans control of Congress, US President Donald Trump faces the prospect of spending the rest of his term as a “lame duck” — a leader with limited power — while fighting constant resistance to his agenda. The loss is expected to push the White House toward a more aggressive foreign policy and a greater reliance on executive orders — direct presidential actions that bypass Congress. Trump has already suggested he could use his veto power — the president’s right to reject bills passed by Congress — for “a month or two” before negotiating agreements with Democratic leaders. Here is how the president plans to stay in control.