House majority seals complete Republican control, accelerating advance of rightwing agenda

Now that Republicans have won a majority in the House of Representatives, Donald Trump and his party will have a governing trifecta in Washington come January, putting the new president in a powerful position to enact his rightwing agenda.

- Joan E Greve

Even without majorities in both chambers of Congress, Trump's victory in the presidential race already gave him significant control over US foreign policy and the makeup of the federal government, both of which he is seeking to overhaul.

But a Republican trifecta in Washington will give him sweeping authority to implement his legislative priorities. Trump's plans include extending tax cuts, rolling back landmark laws signed by Joe Biden and advancing a conservative cultural agenda.

One of the Republicans' most repeated campaign promises was that they would extend the tax cuts Trump signed into law in 2017, many of which are set to expire at the end of 2025. An analysis by the nonpartisan Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy found making the cuts permanent would cost $288.5bn (£227.3bn) in 2026 alone and disproportionately benefit the highest-income households.

Perhaps the most haunting possibility for Democrats is that Republicans would use their governing trifecta to enact a nationwide abortion ban.