President Donald Trump said on Sunday, 8 November 2026, that America “took a giant step back in History” with the results of the midterm elections, five days after Democrats took control of both chambers of Congress. In a post on his own social network, Truth Social, he promised “we will be back, BIGGER AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!”
The result changes who runs Congress from January, and Congress writes the spending bills and votes on many trade measures. That matters for US policy toward Latin America, from tariffs, which are taxes on imports, to aid and to sanctions, which are financial penalties on countries or people.
Key Facts
- Statement. On Sunday, 8 November 2026, Trump called the midterm results a “giant step back in History”.
- Result. Democrats took control of both the House and the Senate in the election on Tuesday, 3 November.
- Market. Trump said the stock market took a “one day, 3 Trillion Dollar loss”; the S&P 500 fell 4.4% on 5 November.
- Next. The newly elected Congress takes office on 3 January 2027.
Trump’s post is defiant in tone. It does not say what he will change now that Democrats hold both chambers.
What Trump Wrote
Trump posted on Truth Social on Sunday morning, 8 November 2026, Eastern time. He wrote: “America took a giant step back in History with the results of the last Election”.
He added that even the stock market, which he called a “ROCKETSHIP” under “TRUMP”, “took a one day, 3 Trillion Dollar loss”. He ended: “But have no fear, we will be back, BIGGER AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!”
What the Market Did
The S&P 500, an index of 500 large US companies, fell 4.4% on Thursday, 5 November 2026, two days after the vote. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, an index of 30 large US companies, fell 3.4% that day.
The US$3 trillion figure is Trump’s own, and we have not been able to confirm it against an official source. The S&P 500 had risen 1.6% and the Dow 3.0% on Wednesday, 4 November, before the fall.
What the Election Changed
Democrats took control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate in the midterm elections on Tuesday, 3 November 2026. Midterms are the elections held halfway through a president’s four-year term, and they decide all 435 House seats and about a third of the Senate.
The new members are sworn in on 3 January 2027. Until then the current Congress keeps its Republican leadership, and the new balance takes effect only when the new one is seated.
What It Means for You
A Democratic House and Senate can hold hearings, question officials and shape spending bills, while the president keeps the power to act through executive orders, which are orders issued without a vote in Congress. Latin American governments watching US tariffs, aid and sanctions will now deal with a Congress that is no longer led by Trump’s party.
Our reports look at what happens next after the midterms. They also cover how Democrats are set to oversee US aid to Colombia.
What Is Not Known
The post links the step back to the election result and the market fall, but it does not say which policies he would change in response. It is also unclear how he plans to work with a Democratic Congress.
The post does not set out a plan for the next two years. Some seat counts may still change as results are finalised, and committee chairs will be settled when the new Congress is organised.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Trump say about the midterm elections?
Trump wrote on Truth Social on 8 November 2026 that America took “a giant step back in History” with the results. He added: “we will be back, BIGGER AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!”
Who won the 2026 US midterm elections?
Democrats took control of both the House and the Senate in the election on 3 November 2026.
When does the new Congress take office?
The newly elected members take office on 3 January 2027. Until then the current Congress remains in place.
Sources
Trump, Truth Social post of 8 November 2026 · Clerk of the US House of Representatives, the House record-keeper · US Senate, official site · S&P Dow Jones Indices, the index provider, S&P 500 · US Constitution, 20th Amendment. Read on 8 November 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. How we use AI · Report an error
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