Historian Manfred Berg says the United States has reached an authoritarian phase of its long-running expansion of presidential power. In an interview with NDR Info, he described the midterm elections as an important test of whether that direction can be halted, alongside the 2028 presidential election.
Berg said Republican lawmakers had been deterred from opposing Trump by his threats to support primary challenges against dissenters. He pointed to Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, who were pushed out of the party after taking part in the House investigation into the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol. The elections, he said, could potentially reverse the pressure Trump has exerted on Republicans.
A Democratic majority in both chambers could create investigative committees, block presidential nominations and potentially pursue another impeachment, Berg said. However, Trump would retain his veto, and Berg noted there is no apparent two-thirds majority to override it. The president would also continue to hold extensive authority over foreign policy as commander-in-chief.
Berg expects Trump to respond to a possible electoral setback by intensifying political conflict rather than accepting the limited role of a lame-duck president. He also cautioned that Trump would continue trying to expand presidential authority, even if a change in Congress made that harder.
The historian said US democracy had been downgraded in democracy rankings for several years, with some assessments describing the country as a flawed or electoral democracy showing authoritarian tendencies. In his view, restoring democratic norms depends in particular on free and fair elections being respected. He warned that democracy is at risk when the losing side no longer accepts an election result.
Sources: Tagesschau.