Democrats in Washington, DC, are concerned that US President Donald Trump’s campaign promises to end international wars and support “America First” are returning to haunt him after a year in office.
The opposition party’s goal is to reclaim both chambers of Congress from Republicans and, in turn, regain control of the president’s expansive use of executive power, but party leaders have long hammered affordability as a key issue in the upcoming 2026 midterms in November.
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Trump’s military cudgels on Venezuela have emerged as strong cudgels in light of both his increasingly brutal attempts to take control of Greenland, a sovereign nation of Denmark, and his extraordinary abduction of Nicolas Maduro on January 3.
Chuck Schumer, the 75-year-old top Democrat in the Senate, used distinctly Trumpian language to address a press conference after the Maduro operation and promised “relentless” messaging on affordability in the upcoming year.
He continued, “We Democrats are fighting against endless wars and military adventurism in Venezuela.”
Democrats in the Senate and House continue Schumer’s statement that they are concentrating on lowering costs while addressing affordability. Donald Trump’s administration appears to be focused on spending our money and, God forbid, lives on military adventure overseas, not something that seems to be.
In a statement following the operation in Venezuela, Ken Martin, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, used a similar line.
Trump allegedly promised peace, but he actually delivered war. Trump has stated that while Americans will foot the bill for regime change, they will continue to govern the United States.
Sherrod Brown, a former Democratic Senator from Ohio who is vying for reelection this year, wrote in a post on X that “We should be more focused on improving Ohioans’ lives, not Caracas.”
promises made in the campaign
Foreign policy has traditionally been seen as a low-impact ballot box issue in the US, frequently being overshadowed by more pressing domestic issues like crime, social issues, and, most importantly, the economy.
Any perception of expensive initiatives abroad offers a unique opportunity for Democrats, according to Democratic strategist Arshad Hasan, given that Trump’s brand of politics largely depends on pledges to eschew high-concept international manoeuvring in exchange for the lived experience of US voters.
Trump is vulnerable right now because he can’t connect his daily activities to those of voters in Venezuela and Greenland, Hasan said.
Democrats still need to make it relatable to what voters will see in real life whenever they want to discuss what he’s doing abroad, he said. “This chaos isn’t bad just because it exists,” he said. Because it doesn’t actually benefit anyone or anything, it’s chaos.
After conducting bombing campaigns in Yemen, Iran, Nigeria, Somalia, and the Caribbean in 2025, Trump has significantly increased his scorecard on international adventure in front of critics.
In the wake of Maduro’s abduction on January 3, Trump suggested using US forces to protect Venezuela’s vast oil wealth, but military assets have remained stationed off the coast of Venezuela. Experts have repeatedly reaffirmed their concern about the fragile stability of interim President Delcy Rodriguez, Maduro’s former deputy, and the possibility of even greater entanglement.
Trump has reportedly remained committed to the White House’s stated goal of establishing US “preeminence” in the Western Hemisphere despite the waning threats against neighboring Colombia. Trump once more refrained from using force to seize Greenland in an NBC News interview from Monday. Strangely, Trump explicitly stated in a message to the leader of Norway on Sunday that he no longer feels compelled to think only about peace.
Democrats have attempted to capitalize on Trump’s campaign rhetoric and his threats against purported US allies, as Trump’s Republican allies have warned that a military conflict with Greenland would effectively destroy the NATO alliance.
Democrats on the House foreign affairs committee stated in a post on X on January 6 that “the American people voted for affordability at home rather than threats to invade our closest friends abroad.”
Trump’s foreign escapades are worse than his domestications, and they are worse because of more tariffs. The panel’s comments earlier this week regarding Trump’s threats to tariff more of Europe over Greenland will only increase costs for Americans.
For its part, the Trump administration has attempted to link cost-of-living issues between both Venezuela and Greenland.
Trump has reportedly pushed doubtful claims about the impact of US oil being pumped into Venezuela and feigned plans to exploit the untapped natural resources of Greenland, a claim Trump has long maintained is crucial to US national security.
Democrats’ test: what is it?
Many things are still up for debate in the middle of the election, but a government that has relied on bold, attention-defying policies and their swift, unrelenting deployment is also in question.
However, there are several potential signs of trouble brewing for Trump’s Republican Party, which has so far largely adhered to the president’s agenda, including refusing to give congressional oversight of his military actions.
According to economists, inequality has continued to yawn under Trump despite signs of economic growth, a moderate unemployment rate, and a broadly muted domestic impact from Trump’s broad-ranging reciprocal tariffs.
There hasn’t been much of a change in the lives of many people in the lower and middle income groups, as evidenced by a number of recent polls. That may be in line with other surveys that show dissatisfaction with Trump’s actions abroad.
A survey conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research on January 8 and 11 revealed that 56% of Americans thought Trump’s foreign policy plan had “gone too far” in terms of military action, despite Maduro’s ouster still remained relatively high. That was especially true for independents, a voter group that both parties targeted, with 63 percent saying Trump had overreached.
One in five US residents overwhelmingly back the US acquiring Greenland, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll of US residents. Only 14% of respondents to a separate CBS poll said they would use military force to seize the island.
Republicans have been asking voters “not to believe their own eyes,” according to Democratic strategist Hasan, and many traditional Democrats have only offered “milquetoast” alternative visions.
He claimed that taking bold actions that weave US actions abroad and effects felt at home could be an “antidote” in the months ahead. He suggested a possible blueprint for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s recent success.
Source: Aljazeera
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