Inflation Stokes Public Anger in U.S., Dealing Blow to Trump's Unilateral Rule

The U.S. midterm elections held on November 3 (local time) were dominated by a strong backlash against the Donald Trump administration.

Faced with soaring inflation driven by rising oil prices from the war with Iran and aggressive tariff policies, American voters responded by handing majorities in both the House and the Senate to the opposition Democratic Party.

Core policies pushed forward under the banner of "America First" have effectively backfired on President Trump.

While vote counting is still underway across various regions, U.S. media outlets early on projected the Democratic Party's recapturing of the House majority.

NBC News projected that as of 11:30 p.m., the Democrats would secure 255 of the 435 seats in the House.

Although the Republican majority in the House had been very narrow, they handed over a massive number of seats in these midterms, handing the Democrats a landslide victory.

The Senate also flipped to Democratic control.

Although the exact margin remains unclear with some battleground races still uncalled, the Democrats have successfully achieved their primary goal of reclaiming the Senate majority.

Above all else, the primary cause behind President Trump and the Republican Party facing such a dismal scorecard of crushing defeats in both chambers of Congress is inflation.

With the war with Iran initiated by President Trump at the end of February triggering a surge in crude oil prices, gasoline prices surpassed $4 a gallon long ago.

In the U.S., $4 a gallon is widely viewed as a psychological threshold.

For American voters, to whom automobiles are essential given the vast geography of the country, gasoline prices exceeding $4 per gallon represent an unbearable burden.

Ahead of the midterm elections, diesel prices skyrocketed by 70% compared to a year prior, and the war with Iran destabilized fertilizer supply and demand, dealing a major blow to the agricultural and transportation sectors—core support bases for President Trump.

Most crop harvesting equipment runs on diesel.

Compounded by rising product prices resulting from tariff wars with various nations, the cost-of-living burden on Americans has increased, sparking disappointment and anger among independents and Democratic supporters, as well as within the president's own base.

In exit polls conducted among voters during this midterm election, 39% of respondents—the largest share—cited "the economy" as the most important issue facing the United States.

While President Trump's hardline immigration enforcement drew cheers from his core white base within the Republican Party, it served as a catalyst for Hispanic and Black voters—who contributed significantly to President Trump's victory in the 2024 presidential election—to withdraw their support.

The Democrats tapped into these vulnerabilities of the Trump administration, focusing their agenda on an "affordable cost of living."

They also aggressively raised suspicions of corruption surrounding President Trump and those close to him, targeting independents and moderate conservatives to secure a sweeping victory.

 
The Democrats are expected to launch comprehensive investigations into the Trump administration as soon as the House and Senate begin their terms in January next year.

High-ranking officials within the Trump administration, as well as members of President Trump's family, are projected to be targets of the probes.

For administration and high-ranking White House officials, the inquiries are expected to question President Trump's unilateral policy implementation, while investigations into his family are anticipated to dig into how massive wealth was accumulated following President Trump's return to power.

Although no official party stance has been finalized internally by the Democrats, demands to push for the impeachment of President Trump could gain momentum, centered around hardline progressive lawmakers in the House.

Because impeachment requires a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate, cautious voices also exist within the Democratic Party.

President Trump was impeached twice during his first term as well, but was acquitted by the Senate.

If the final election results show the Democrats' majority advantage widening significantly as expected, the party will be able to secure substantial leverage in negotiations over the federal government budget and the debt limit.

The passage of the administration's requests for defense spending increases for the war with Iran or the budget bill has also become uncertain.

The Democrats are targeting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as their primary target, particularly because he spearheaded the war with Iran and undertook a major shake-up of senior Defense Department positions.

Significant disruptions are also anticipated in President Trump's exercise of appointment powers.

The Senate holds the power to confirm cabinet members, federal judges, and ambassadors.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.