Trump is going to focus on own legacy for remainder of term if Democrats win big in the midterms, GOP insiders say

If the midterm elections result in major losses for Republicans, President Donald Trump will shift his attention away from legislative battles and center his remaining time in office on his personal legacy and Washington, D.C. building projects, according to party insiders.One GOP strategist told The Washington Sun that if Democrats take control of Congress, the president “really won’t give a f--- after November and will be focused solely on his legacy.”Millions of Americans are heading to the polls Tuesday to vote in pivotal elections across the country. Though Trump is not on the ballot, he has repeatedly encouraged supporters on the campaign trail to “pretend” that he is. However, numerous polls have predicted grim outcomes for GOP candidates amid anger over the soaring cost of living and the president’s unpopular war in Iran.The report, based on interviews with around a dozen political insiders regarding Trump’s final two years in office, indicates that a Democratic-led House or Senate would also likely trigger intense partisan conflict. One source close to the president told the outlet that “the more radical wing of the [Democratic] Party is going to demand investigations and impeachment,” adding that such moves could prompt Trump to “demand his Justice Department do the same.”Trump allies maintain that the administration is far better equipped to counter congressional inquiries than it was following the 2018 midterms. With legislative avenues potentially blocked, sources expect Trump to rely heavily on executive authority, including issuing executive orders and presidential pardons. If Republicans suffer major losses in the midterms, President Donald Trump plans to abandon major legislative pushes and concentrate exclusively on his long-term legacy during his final two years in office, according to a GOP insider (AFP/Getty)When previously asked by The Washington Sun if he would consider pardoning associates targeted by Democratic probes, Trump pointed to precedents set by his predecessor, stating: “That’s what [former President Joe] Biden did.”When asked whether such pardons would extend to anyone who had worked for him, Trump replied:“I did it for J6,” referencing his actions regarding his supporters who were jailed following the 2021 Capitol riot.Insiders also expect Trump to dedicate significant energy to continue his reshaping of the nation’s capital. His proposed projects include an arch, designed to dwarf Paris’ Arc de Triomphe in sclae, which has drawn criticism for its proximity to Arlington National Cemetery. Trump has also directed a controversial remodeling of the East Potomac Links golf course — where extensive tree removal sparked local pushback — and overseen the troubled renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which required draining after its newly-installed liner peeled off.Speaking in front of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on Monday, Trump acknowledged the historical pattern of the president’s party losing midterm elections (AFP/Getty)Speaking in front of the reflecting pool during his final pre-election address Monday, Trump appeared to acknowledge the threat of heavy GOP losses, noting that history typically disfavors the sitting president's party in midterms.“This is the last day before the midterm elections — the most important midterm, I believe, in our lifetime,” Trump said, as NBC News reported. “The Democrat Party has nominated the most extreme and dangerous slate of candidates in American history. These are the most dangerous candidates ever put up.”He touted what he considered economic wins, saying that “personal incomes are the highest in history” and that “the poverty rate is at an all-time record low.”A video of Democratic candidate for the US Senate James Talarico of Texas is shown as President Donald Trump speaks at a midterm campaign rally in Daytona Beach, Florida on October 30. Democratic candidates are ‘all committed to the same radical agenda,’ Trump claimed in an election-eve speech (AFP/Getty)He added that “it all doesn’t matter if we’re going to be foolish and let people that hate our country win an election.”“If the people that voted for me and voted in the last election ... just a good portion of them, we will win in a landslide,” Trump continued. “Now, that doesn’t happen, because usually, whoever the sitting president is, Republican or Democrat, good or bad, good president, great president, bad — for some reason, the sitting president doesn’t win the midterms, but we gave this a very strong shot.” The Independent has contacted the White House for comment.