Republicans Near Full Control of US Congress as Trump Focuses on Cabinet Appointments

Posted on November 11, 2024
by Yashmika Dukaran


The Republican Party is on the brink of gaining full control of the US Congress, having already secured a majority in the Senate and needing just a few more seats to take the House of Representatives. The latest data shows Republicans holding 214 House seats, compared to 205 for the Democrats, with 218 needed for a majority.

With the presidency in his grasp, President-elect Donald Trump is focused on filling key roles in his administration. So far, he has appointed New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik as the new US Ambassador to the United Nations and former ICE director Tom Homan as his "border tsar," tasked with overseeing national border security and deportation efforts.

Republicans are expected to hold at least 52 seats in the Senate after gaining three previously Democratic-held seats in West Virginia, Ohio, and Montana. With control of both the Senate and the House, Trump’s legislative agenda, including tax cuts and immigration reform, is likely to receive greater congressional support.

Trump’s potential cabinet appointments have also sparked speculation, with figures like former ICE director Tom Homan, who could become Homeland Security Secretary, and Susie Wiles, already appointed as chief of staff. Other names rumored for top positions include Elon Musk and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Trump recently confirmed that Nikki Haley and Mike Pompeo, who served in his first administration, will not return for his second term.