At a Glance
- 2025 saw Trump shutter agencies, impose tariffs, cancel spending, and launch Caribbean military ops.
- Republicans passed One Big Beautiful Bill using reconciliation, cutting Medicaid and food assistance.
- 43 House members and 9 Senators announced retirements, the highest in an odd year.
- Why it matters: The 2026 midterms could reshape congressional power as lawmakers face a crowded retirement and ongoing executive overreach.
In 2025, the Trump administration unilaterally shuttered or weakened federal agencies, imposed widespread tariffs, canceled congressionally approved spending, and conducted military operations in the Caribbean, sparking bipartisan backlash.
Executive Overreach in 2025
Sen. Rand Paul said:
> “Yeah, I’ve been concerned for ten years about that.”
Sen. Rand Paul continued:
> “I don’t know that it’s getting any better. Seems to be getting worse.”
Rep. Thomas Massie noted:
> “I’ve never been in a shutdown where we shut down Congress too, like voluntarily, because we think it’s good messaging.”
Legislative Struggles and the Reconciliation Bill
The GOP’s signature move was One Big Beautiful Bill, passed through reconciliation, extending tax cuts, boosting defense and immigration enforcement, and trimming Medicaid and food assistance. The bill was the only substantial GOP legislation this year.
- The bill bypassed a Democratic filibuster in the Senate.
- It added new defense spending.
- It cut spending on Medicaid and food assistance.
Sen. Tim Kaine said:
> “I think there’s been such a long history of allowing executives to act … and this president is pushing it farther than most.”
Sen. Tim Kaine added:
> “Well, I’m just going to keep forcing people to confront [the question], ‘Do you agree with this or not?'”
Retirement Wave and Congressional Gridlock
| House | Senate |
|---|---|
| 43 members (19 Democrats, 24 Republicans) | 9 members (4 Democrats, 5 Republicans) |
The 43 House members and 9 Senators announced retirements, the highest in an odd year since 2011, according to C-SPAN data.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski said:
> “Congress alone bears the constitutional responsibility for funding our government, and any effort to claw back resources outside of the appropriations process undermines that responsibility.”
Rep. Kevin Kiley said:
> “I think this is why people are so frustrated with Congress and what Congress has, what, a 15% approval rating? I think it’s gonna go down if we don’t get something done here.”
Appropriations: The Power of the Purse
Sen. John Hoeven said:
> “It’s really important. It’s about the power of the purse. It’s about us determining what gets funded and what doesn’t get funded. It’s setting priorities.”
Sen. Thom Tillis said:
> “This administration was a lot of change. A lot of it good change, okay? But it has really caused people to back into their political corners. Frankly, I’m not optimistic about a lot of bipartisan work [getting done] in any of the politically thorny areas. I think people are going to move off into their corners.”
Key Takeaways
- Trump’s 2025 actions and a controversial reconciliation bill highlight executive overreach.
- A surge of congressional retirements signals a potential shift in legislative power.
- Appropriations remain the key battleground for congressional relevance.
The 2026 midterms may finally decide whether Congress can reclaim its authority from an executive that has pushed the boundaries of its power.
