How Stephen Miller Can Bypass A Democratic Congress For The Next Two Years

The Federalist ^ | November 13, 2026 | Colton Overcash

[Red Badger]

President Trump lost Congress last Tuesday. And now he’s handed control of the White House to Stephen Miller.

Anybody who interprets that move as a peace offering to Democrats probably thinks a rattlesnake just wants a hug.

After all, Trump’s legislative agenda is effectively dead come January. Democrats will control both chambers and have enough subpoena power to keep a small army of lawyers employed. But Trump does not have to spend his remaining two years sulking in the Oval Office. Congress may control the legislative calendar, but it cannot simply switch off the executive branch.

Miller has a powerful opportunity to use existing presidential authority to keep Trump’s agenda moving despite Democratic control of Congress. The challenge is not simply finding ways around lawmakers. It’s identifying which decisions the executive branch can already make without their cooperation.

The first opportunity comes now. With fewer than two months of Republican control remaining, Trump can press Senate Republicans to confirm as many judges as possible, while the Dec. 11 funding deadline offers a final opportunity to secure provisions Democrats may spend years trying to undo. Some fights can also be left unresolved because the White House already has money and authority that will survive the change in Congress.

Immigration is the clearest example.

Congress approved nearly $70 billion in additional Department of Homeland Security funding earlier this year, much of it available through 2029. Democrats can hold hearings, threaten cuts, and denounce deportations, but clawing back money already appropriated requires legislation Trump can veto.

That financial advantage gives Miller enormous room to expand detention capacity, accelerate deportations, and strengthen cooperation with state and local police. The administration can pursue those priorities without waiting for Democrats to approve another immigration bill.

Miller can also concentrate enforcement operations in jurisdictions where Democratic leaders refuse to cooperate, creating confrontations that put those officials on the defensive and force them to explain their opposition.

Why? Because Miller doesn’t need to win every courtroom fight to keep Democrats talking about immigration instead of grocery bills. The political advantage comes from forcing those debates onto terrain where Republicans have traditionally enjoyed stronger support.

The next tool is the federal checkbook.

Russ Vought, Trump’s budget director, is pursuing changes to give political appointees greater influence over federal grants. Congress temporarily blocked the proposed overhaul through Dec. 11, but that restriction is about to expire.

[MORE AT LINK.........]

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; History; Politics
KEYWORDS:

[ClearCase_guy]

With fewer than two months of Republican control remaining, Trump can press Senate Republicans ...

I expect the Senate Republicans to do precisely nothing. They will be collegial and note that the People have spoken, and that government should sit back and do nothing until their esteemed colleagues the Democrats have taken up their new positions. It would be ungentlemanly to try and get stuff done at this point.

[allendale]

Miller must develop a way to clearly inform the American people of the lunacy that exists in each bill passed by a Democrat Congress and why it is necessary for Trump to veto them even to the point of a prolonged government shutdown. However not sure Trump still has the stomach for a fight.

[cgbg]

The Democrats plan on investigating everybody down to the White House janitor.

That will keep staff in a state of perpetual fear of doing anything—or they could be the next target.

This is going to be a level of WH paralysis that will boggle the mind—make the Watergate days look like a tea party.

It will not matter if the charges are total fabrications—the process of investigation will terrorize everyone at the WH and the Executive Branch.

Many will quietly leave—and many will “lie flat” and do nothing.

President Trump can call people into his office and say “you are fired”.

They will say—”thank you” and mean it!

[rdcbn1]

It was pretty clear that voters were being presented with a stark choice in the 2024 election Democrat insanity or Republican normality.

The voters knowingly and openly choose insanity.

[Red Badger]

It was a form of Mass Hysteria....................

[spintreebob]

“keep Democrats talking about immigration instead of grocery bills”

Many seem to be in denial and don’t get it. Yes, Price of gas/oil and consumer goods due to Hormuz was #1 issue.

But Immigration was #2 issue. Immigration is what lost TX and some other areas. If we don’t learn from history, we are bound to repeat it.

DOGE, FRAUD WASTE ABUSE should be the #1 issue. We should not let mis-steps on immigration and reflecting pools steal the headlines and message away from winnable priorities.