USAupdated 1h ago2 min read
Archive photo · 23 February 2025Friedrich Merz Says Donald Trump Will Bypass Congress After US Midterm Losses
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Merz expects Trump to continue bypassing Congress after midterm losses. He does not expect a fundamental shift in Trump's policy agenda.
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Merz on Trump and Congress
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said President Donald Trump will continue governing the United States by bypassing Congress despite Republican setbacks in the US midterm elections.
“Even over the last two years, Trump has largely governed by bypassing Congress. Why should that be any different now?”
Merz told the Social Democratic Party (SPD) Economic Forum in Berlin, "Even over the last two years, Trump has largely governed by bypassing Congress. Why should that be any different now?"
Merz argued that the US Constitution gives the presidency broad powers to make decisions independently of Congress, and he said that constitutional authority shields the administration from legislative shifts.
Deputy government spokesman Steffen Meyer said Berlin views the United States as an enduring ally, adding, "The USA is—and will remain—an important partner and ally for us."
Executive orders and policy
Merz said Trump will continue bypassing the House of Representatives and the Senate during the final two years of his time in office by issuing executive orders. Merz predicted there would be no "breakthrough" in U.S. policy after the Democrats' victory in the congressional midterm elections, and he said Trump "largely" governed without consulting Congress over the past two years.
Merz downplayed the midterm impact on Trump’s agenda by pointing to the constitutional powers of the American presidency, which he said enable unilateral decision-making independent of legislative control. Steffen Meyer said Berlin will continue close cooperation with the USA even if a different constellation emerges in both chambers, framing the relationship as continuing regardless of election outcomes.
Transatlantic ties and expectations
Berlin signaled its intention to maintain close ties with Washington regardless of the electoral outcome, with Steffen Meyer describing the United States as an important partner and ally. Merz said he does not anticipate a fundamental shift in Trump’s governance style following Republican losses in the US midterm elections, and he linked that expectation to the presidency’s ability to act without legislative approval.
Merz said the practical impact of congressional election results on the administration’s international posture would be limited because transatlantic relations would remain driven by executive decision-making rather than legislative composition. The German chancellor also said he has no particular illusions about a Democratic victory in the congressional midterm elections, while Reuters is cited in the U.N.N. text for the idea that Democrats could bring aid to Ukraine to a vote.