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The Wire
Trump says U.S. took 'giant step back' as Miller starts as chief of staff Trump says allies will repay Iran war costs; missiles were the biggest expense On tape: William Lawrence flips a Michigan House seat, calls it a rebuke to Trump and "a mandate for change" U.S. citizen shot by ICE agent sues for $25 million, alleging excessive force On tape: Ed Markey wins another term in the US Senate from Massachusetts and calls Trump a "constitutional crisis" Senate Republicans return furious with Trump, blaming him for midterm losses On tape: Pritzker on Trump: tore down the White House East Wing and is "finally making a profit" Firm tied to Trump's sons won nearly $40 million in Ebola screening contracts On tape: Adam Schiff on the El Salvador prison deportation: "no one is safe" without due process Georgetown secret shoppers find short-term health plans pushed as states loosen rules Trump says U.S. took 'giant step back' as Miller starts as chief of staff Trump says allies will repay Iran war costs; missiles were the biggest expense On tape: William Lawrence flips a Michigan House seat, calls it a rebuke to Trump and "a mandate for change" U.S. citizen shot by ICE agent sues for $25 million, alleging excessive force On tape: Ed Markey wins another term in the US Senate from Massachusetts and calls Trump a "constitutional crisis" Senate Republicans return furious with Trump, blaming him for midterm losses On tape: Pritzker on Trump: tore down the White House East Wing and is "finally making a profit" Firm tied to Trump's sons won nearly $40 million in Ebola screening contracts On tape: Adam Schiff on the El Salvador prison deportation: "no one is safe" without due process Georgetown secret shoppers find short-term health plans pushed as states loosen rules

The White House · Report · File No. 261109-334

Trump says U.S. took 'giant step back' as Miller starts as chief of staff

President Trump blamed the election results and a stock sell-off in a Sunday post, while his White House moved toward a harder line. Democrats say they will use their new majorities to investigate and to push cost-of-living bills.

Every quote in this story (2) was matched word for word against its source. How we work

Donald Trump
Donald Trump. Photo: Daniel Torok, Public domain

President Trump said Sunday that the country took a step backward because of the midterm elections. In a Truth Social post, he wrote that "America took a giant step back in History with the results of the last Election" 2. He posted as he headed out to play golf 1.

Trump tied the loss to Wall Street. He wrote that the stock market took a one-day, $3 trillion loss, and added, "But have no fear, we will be back, BIGGER AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!" 12.

On tapeNBC News · Nov 6
Nov. 6: Trump's post names Stephen Miller to replace Susie Wiles as chief of staff.Video: NBC News on YouTube, “Stephen Miller named as new White House chief of staff”. It plays from YouTube when you press play.

CBS News reported that stocks rose Wednesday on the election results. They fell Thursday in a steep tech sell-off and bounced back Friday 1.

Donald Trump
America took a giant step back in History with the results of the last Election
Donald Trump, President, Republican2

A harder line inside the White House

Stephen Miller, a hardline aide, is due to start Monday as White House chief of staff 2. The Guardian reported that his promotion has raised expectations of a tougher immigration crackdown and no concessions to the new Democratic majority in Congress 2.

From Channel GOPHakeem Jeffries on corruption after the midtermsHakeem Jeffries · 1.4K plays · captioned, with the source named

Dan Eberhart, a Trump donor and energy executive, told Reuters the move signals a "fighting-from-a-bunker approach the last two years" 2.

On Saturday, Trump said he had offered UFC chief Dana White the press secretary job. That post has been largely vacant since Karoline Leavitt left this summer, The Guardian reported 2.

On tapeCBS News · Nov 6
Nov. 6: CBS report: Trump announces on social media Miller replaces Wiles as chief of staff.Video: CBS News on YouTube, “Trump replaces Susie Wiles with Stephen Miller as chief of staff | Special Report”. It plays from YouTube when you press play.

Investigations and warnings

Trump also said he had ordered the Justice Department to look into Democrats planning oversight of his administration and family 2. Attorney General Todd Blanche told CNN there could be investigations. He said Republicans have faced dangerous threats but did not say what crimes he believed had been committed 2.

Rep. Robert Garcia, a California Democrat expected to chair the House Oversight Committee, said probes could examine Elon Musk's role in last year's mass firing of federal workers. They could also cover Miller's role in the immigration crackdown 2.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat slated to lead the Senate Banking Committee, said she wants to investigate "anyone who's been cheating." She also said she will work with the administration on capping credit card and housing interest rates 1.

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said he has not yet spoken to Trump. He listed ending the Iran war, ending the president's tariffs and reversing Medicaid restrictions as Democratic priorities 1.

Hakeem Jeffries
The country clearly has had enough, and we've got to fight for an affordable America.
Hakeem Jeffries, House Minority Leader, Democrat-New York1

What happens next

Democrats take control of Congress in January. Until then, Republicans still run both chambers. Rep. James Comer, the Kentucky Republican who chairs House Oversight, said the panel will spend the last two months of this Congress investigating Alaska over its Senate race 2.

That race is not settled. Democrat Mary Peltola holds a slim lead over Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, and Alaska's ranked-choice tabulation is set for Nov. 18 1.

The pattern is that Trump is answering a voter rebuke with a tougher team and threats of investigation. Democrats say voters want lower costs. Which side gets its way will decide whether the next two years bring gridlock or bills on prices and health care.

The Record

  1. Republicans lose control of Congress in the midterm elections 2.
  2. Trump says he offered UFC chief Dana White the press secretary job 2.
  3. Trump posts that America 'took a giant step back in History' with the election results 2.
  4. Stephen Miller is due to begin as White House chief of staff 2.
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Sources

  1. CBS News, “Trump says U.S. took a "giant step back in history" with midterm results” (2026-11-09). cbsnews.com/live-updates/midterm-election-results-2026-democ
  2. The Guardian, “Trump set to lurch further right, claiming US took 'giant step back' in elections” (2026-11-08). theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/08/trump-midterm-elections-

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