As the 2026 midterm elections draw near, political analyst and journalist Jason Easley warned that top Trump administration officials could resign preemptively to avoid being “slapped with subpoenas” if Democrats manage to reclaim Congress.
“Suppose Democrats win control of Congress and the presidency in 2028,” Easley wrote on PoliticusUSA. “In that case, the next Democratic president will have to make fixing the damage Trump has done to the country and our system of government a priority… It would not be surprising if Democrats do well in the midterms, people like Pam Bondi and Kash Patel resign before they can be slapped with subpoenas.”
Currently, Republicans hold a slim edge in Congress. The House stands at 219 Republicans to 213 Democrats, while the Senate has 53 Republicans, 45 Democrats, and two independents—Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Angus King (I-ME)—who caucus with Democrats. But historical trends suggest a potential shift. The party in the White House has lost ground in 20 of the last 22 midterm elections since 1938. And with Trump posting the lowest 100-day approval rating in 80 years, Easley argues Democrats could realistically reclaim Congress—and the subpoena power that comes with it.
Easley cited comments from Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) on MSNBC as further evidence that top Trump officials could be on the hot seat. Raskin, the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, hinted at accountability if Democrats gain control.
“I don’t want to get ahead of ourselves in terms of specifying, like, you know,” Raskin said Sunday on MSNBC. “It is very much within our agenda to restore the rule of law and to try to fight for justice.”
If Democrats retake the House, Raskin would likely become committee chair, giving him significant subpoena authority. Easley pointed out that such a development could prompt resignations among Trump loyalists looking to avoid scrutiny.
“Democrats seem to have a sense of how and where to act to limit Trump’s power, but none of this is possible unless they take back the House,” Easley wrote.
With midterms historically punishing the party in power, and a low Trump approval rating, the race for Congress could trigger more than just political maneuvering—it may force the Trump administration’s top figures to weigh whether staying in office is worth the legal exposure that a Democrat-controlled Congress could bring.
