Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin is laying out a stark agenda for Democrats should they reclaim control of Congress in the midterms: dismantle President Trump's tariff regime and bring the Iran conflict to a close.
In an interview with NewsNation's Blake Burman, Martin pointed to exit polling indicating that a majority of voters believe the country is headed in the wrong direction. He argued that Democrats must immediately address the economic pain and foreign policy quagmire that have defined the Trump administration's second term.
“The first thing they should do is repeal the tariffs that Donald Trump put in place,” Martin said, emphasizing the need to reverse the trade policies that have raised costs on American families and businesses.
However, any legislative effort to undo the tariffs would face a near-certain presidential veto. To override that veto, Democrats would need a two-thirds majority in both chambers—a tall order that would require substantial Republican defections, making the path to repeal politically fraught.
Martin’s second priority is ending the war with Iran, which he says is a major driver of soaring energy and fuel prices. “Second is to end the war, which is driving up energy costs and fuel costs in this country at a time when people are already economically dispossessed and feeling a lot of anxiety,” he said.
The Senate has repeatedly come close to passing a resolution to withdraw U.S. troops from Iran but has not yet reached a simple majority. Like the tariff repeal, such a resolution would be subject to a veto and would need 67 votes to override—an uphill battle in a narrowly divided chamber.
Beyond tariffs and the war, Martin outlined a broader Democratic agenda focused on tackling high costs, reforming the healthcare system, and targeting corruption. He vowed that a Democratic majority would aggressively roll back many of the Trump administration's policies within the first 100 days.
“I believe within the first hundred days, you’re going to see a very aggressive House and Senate to repeal a lot of the terrible policies that Donald Trump and his administration have put in place,” Martin said.
The comments come as Decision Desk HQ projects that Democrats are poised to win both the House and Senate in this midterm cycle, a shift that would give them the platform to push their priorities. The Democrats' sweeping victory has reshaped Washington, with leaders like Chuck Schumer hailing it as a generational remake of the political landscape.
Even as Republicans concede losses, they have signaled they will build a firewall against Democratic investigations, setting up a contentious session. Martin’s ambitious agenda, however, underscores the Democrats' intent to move swiftly on issues that resonate with voters, from economic relief to ending military entanglement abroad.
