Democrats in Congress are grappling with how to advance their agenda without holding a majority in either the House or Senate, while President Donald Trump moves swiftly to implement his policies. CNN acknowledged that Democratic lawmakers are confronting their “powerlessness” as Trump signs executive orders and collaborates with Republican legislators to push his legislative priorities.
The network noted that Democrats are “essentially leaderless,” with potential future presidential candidates hesitant to take the lead in opposing the administration. Their first major test may come with the mid-March budget deadline, though efforts to push back against Trump’s policies have so far been largely symbolic.
One example of this strategy has been protests outside government agencies targeted for audits or budget reductions. At the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Democratic lawmakers gathered to decry Trump’s efforts to cut its operations. “We’ve got to do everything we can, every tool in the toolbox to oppose what is actually happening right before our eyes,” Rep. Hank Johnson stated. Similar demonstrations have occurred outside the Department of Education and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) accused Trump of “breaking the law” and engaging in “corrupt practices,” while admitting that Democrats have few tools to counteract the administration. “The levers that we have are limited, but at the same time, all of us share the lever of speaking out, of raising popular sentiment,” he said.
Some Democrats are struggling to strike a balance between opposing Trump’s policies and avoiding alienation from voters. Rep. Sean Casten compared their situation to Nazi Germany, stating, “It only took 50 days for Hitler to destroy democracy in Germany.” The comment underscores the party’s struggle to craft a compelling opposition message while facing a unified Republican government.
As Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) push for federal budget cuts and agency streamlining, Democrats face an uphill battle in making their voices heard. Without legislative power, their primary recourse remains public protests and media statements—a strategy that may not be enough to stop the administration’s agenda.
