White House Prepares to Advance Agenda Without Congress if Democrats Win Control

The White House has spent months preparing for a possible Democratic takeover of Congress, developing plans to advance key parts of its agenda through executive authority without congressional approval. According to ChainCatcher, three people familiar with the matter said that since April, senior officials—including Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and budget director Russell Vought—have worked with the White House Counsel’s Office to identify actions U.S. President Donald Trump could take on immigration, tariffs, housing costs and federal spending. White House Counsel Will Scharf and his team are also examining what Trump can legally do on his own, where he might exceed his authority, and how to defend those decisions in court, a White House official said. Over the past month, Trump has held rallies nationwide to try to preserve Republican control of Congress, while aides have privately begun preparing for a very different political landscape in 2027.