US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he would lean on his veto power and negotiate across the aisle if Democrats captured control of the House or the Senate in the midterm elections scheduled for November 3. Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews before departing, Trump framed a potential split Congress as a manageable scenario — one that past presidents have navigated.

Trump's Remarks on a Divided 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,' Trump told reporters. The midterms, now a week away, will determine which party controls both chambers of Congress for the final two years of his term. A Democratic majority in either chamber would significantly constrain his legislative agenda.

Consumer Confidence Data — and a Key Clarification

Trump also highlighted the latest consumer sentiment figures released earlier the same day, claiming the index had risen by a record 7.5 per cent. However, the Conference Board, which publishes the index, clarified that the Consumer Confidence Index rose by 7.5 index points — not per cent — moving from 84.2 in September to 91.7 in October. The board did not describe the increase as a record, noting instead that confidence had 'revived to June levels.'

Fergus McCormick, senior economist at the Conference Board, said the recovery 'was in line with retail gasoline prices easing from September to October.' He cautioned, however, that 'despite the increase in October, consumer confidence remained on the long-term downward trend that's persisted over the past few years.' Consumers' average 12-month inflation expectations eased slightly but remained elevated at 5.8 per cent, according to the board.

Venezuela Oil Shipment: Trump Claims a 'Gift'

On energy, Trump said Venezuela had dispatched a large oil cargo to the United States, which he characterised as a personal gift to the American people. 'We took over Venezuela very successfully. And they've sent me as a gift, a boatload of a million barrels of oil. And I'm giving that to the United States of America,' he said. He added that oil prices would 'be dropping very sharply' as a result.

Fuel costs have been a central campaign flashpoint, with gasoline prices elevated partly due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. A shipment of 1 million barrels, while notable, would cover a fraction of daily US consumption, which runs at roughly 20 million barrels per day — context Trump did not address in his remarks.

Stakes of the November 3 Midterms

The midterms will determine the composition of both the House of Representatives and the Senate for the remainder of Trump's term. A Democratic sweep of either chamber would hand the opposition subpoena power and committee chairmanships, complicating Trump's remaining legislative priorities. Trump's acknowledgement that he may need to rely on vetoes and deal-making signals an awareness, at least publicly, that a Republican sweep is not guaranteed.