Trump Considers DeSantis to Replace Hegseth After Midterm Setbacks

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said President Donald Trump will continue governing the United States by bypassing Congress despite Republican setbacks in the US midterm elections.

Merz told the Social Democratic Party (SPD) Economic Forum in Berlin, "Even over the last two years, Trump has largely governed by bypassing Congress. Why should that be any different now?"

Merz argued that the US Constitution gives the presidency broad powers to make decisions independently of Congress.

He said that constitutional authority shields the administration from legislative shifts.

Deputy government spokesman Steffen Meyer said Berlin views the United States as an enduring ally.

Meyer added, "The USA is—and will remain—an important partner and ally for us."

Merz said Trump will continue bypassing the House of Representatives and the Senate during the final two years of his time in office by issuing executive orders.

Merz predicted there would be no "breakthrough" in U.S. policy after the Democrats' victory in the congressional midterm elections.

He said Trump "largely" governed without consulting Congress over the past two years.

Merz downplayed the midterm impact on Trump’s agenda by pointing to the constitutional powers of the American presidency.

He said those powers enable unilateral decision-making independent of legislative control.

Steffen Meyer said Berlin will continue close cooperation with the USA even if a different constellation emerges in both chambers.

Meyer framed the relationship as continuing regardless of election outcomes.

Berlin signaled its intention to maintain close ties with Washington regardless of the electoral outcome.

The midterm elections on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, resulted in Democrats winning control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

That outcome stripped Republicans of the unified control they had held since January 2025.

Under unified control, Trump had been able to advance legislation with relative ease.

Now, with divided government, any legislative initiative will face a Democratic majority in at least one chamber.

Merz’s comments came at the SPD Economic Forum, a gathering of business and political leaders in Berlin.

The German leader’s assessment reflects a view widely held in European capitals.

European allies have watched Trump’s first two years with concern over his use of executive orders.

Executive orders allow a president to direct federal agencies without congressional approval.

They carry the force of law but can be reversed by a subsequent president.

Trump issued more than 100 executive orders in his first two years, according to public records.

Merz’s prediction suggests that pace will continue or even accelerate.

The White House has not publicly commented on Merz’s remarks.

A spokesperson for the German chancellery confirmed the content of Merz’s speech to reporters.

The chancellor’s office did not provide additional context.

Merz’s statement carries weight because Germany is the largest economy in the European Union.

Berlin has been a key NATO ally during the Trump administration.

The relationship between Merz and Trump has been pragmatic rather than warm.

Merz took office in December 2024 after winning the German federal election.

He has navigated the Trump administration’s policies on trade, defense spending, and the Iran war.

Germany has contributed to NATO’s eastern flank but has not committed combat troops to the Iran conflict.

Merz’s assessment of Trump’s governing style aligns with reports from U.S. media.

NewsCord has aggregated coverage from five outlets that reported the same story.

The outlets agreed on Merz’s core argument about executive orders.

They differed in their framing of Melania Trump’s role in hosting Ukraine and Russia officials at the White House.

That separate story involved a ceasefire discussion over Oleshky.

Merz did not address that topic in his forum remarks.

The chancellor focused entirely on the constitutional mechanics of the U.S. presidency.

He did not speculate on specific policies Trump might pursue.

He did not mention the Iran war, trade tariffs, or NATO spending.

His comments were limited to the process of governing.

Merz’s prediction has implications for U.S. domestic and foreign policy.

If Trump bypasses Congress, Democrats will have limited tools to block his agenda.

They can use the power of the purse to restrict funding for certain initiatives.

They can hold oversight hearings and issue subpoenas.

But they cannot prevent the president from issuing executive orders on matters within his constitutional authority.

Trump has already used executive orders on immigration, energy, and trade.

The midterm defeat has not changed his approach, according to Merz.

The German chancellor’s statement is one of the first foreign assessments of the post-midterm U.S. political landscape.

Other world leaders have been more cautious in their public comments.

French President Emmanuel Macron issued a brief statement congratulating Democratic leaders.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK would work with whichever party controls Congress.

Merz’s direct prediction stands out for its specificity.

He did not hedge or qualify his remarks.

He said Trump will bypass Congress, not that he might.

The certainty of his language reflects the view from Berlin that the U.S. system is designed for such outcomes.

The U.S. Constitution grants the president authority over foreign policy, military operations, and federal administration.

Congress controls the budget and can declare war.

But the president commands the armed forces as commander in chief.

That distinction matters during an active conflict like the Iran war.

Trump has not sought a formal declaration of war from Congress.

He has relied on the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) and his inherent powers.

Democrats in the new Congress could move to repeal or amend the AUMF.

But such a move would require a veto-proof majority, which Democrats do not have.

Merz’s prediction suggests Trump will continue military operations without legislative input.

That aligns with internal White House dynamics reported by multiple outlets.

Vice President JD Vance has privately criticized the war and urged negotiation.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has advocated continuing the campaign.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has pushed for diplomatic solutions.

Trump has publicly defended Hegseth despite internal criticism.

But sources say Trump may be considering Governor Ron DeSantis to replace Hegseth.

DeSantis, a former rival for the Republican nomination, has been a vocal supporter of the war.

He has also criticized Trump’s handling of the conflict in private conversations.

The potential shakeup would put DeSantis at the center of the Iran war debate.

It would also signal that Trump is willing to reshuffle his national security team after the midterm losses.

Merz did not address the DeSantis speculation in his Berlin remarks.

His focus remained on the structural question of how Trump will govern.

The chancellor’s answer was clear: through executive action, not legislation.

That answer carries consequences for every issue on the U.S. agenda.

Trade policy, immigration enforcement, environmental regulations, and military operations can all be advanced by executive order.

Congress can respond by cutting funding or passing new laws.

But those responses require Democratic unity and, in some cases, Republican support.

Neither is guaranteed.

Merz’s prediction will be tested in the coming weeks and months.

The first major test will come when the new Congress convenes in January 2027.

Trump will deliver a State of the Union address to a divided government.

He will then submit a budget that Democrats will likely rewrite.

How he responds to that rewrite will show whether Merz’s prediction holds.

If Trump issues executive orders to fund his priorities without Congress, the prediction is confirmed.

If he negotiates with Democratic leaders, the prediction is wrong.

Merz has bet on the former.

Berlin is preparing for a U.S. partner that acts unilaterally.

Steffen Meyer’s statement that the USA remains an ally suggests continuity in German policy.

But continuity does not mean agreement.

Germany has disagreed with Trump on tariffs, climate policy, and the Iran war.

Those disagreements are likely to persist under the new congressional makeup.