Washington, DC [US], November 2 : US President Donald Trump said on Monday (local time) that he is ready to transform into "Mr. Veto" if Democrats win control of Congress in the midterm elections, while signalling an absolute willingness to issue broad preemptive pardons to safeguard his administration staff. 
Speaking to The New York Post’s Miranda Devine in an interview on the "Pod Force One" podcast, Trump made it clear he would use his presidential power to stop any opposition legislation from becoming law and compel Democrats to negotiate.
"I guess I'll become Mr. Veto. I'm not going to let them ruin it," Trump said. "Look, if we didn't win—I think we're going to do great, but if we didn't win, I veto everything. I'll be vetoing, vetoing, and then they'll come along and we'll probably make some deals along the way," he said. 
Trump said he expects a few months of fighting before Democrats are forced to sit down with him.
"They'll be sending stuff up. You veto it. And eventually, after a month or two of getting all vetoed, they're just wasting [time], they come over, and you make a deal. I think that probably would happen, but hopefully we don't have to worry about that," he stated. 
Warning supporters that Democratic majorities would attempt to roll back his signature economic policies and expand progressive agendas, Trump vowed to use the presidential veto as an impenetrable shield. 
"They want to get rid of your Second Amendment, have transgender for everyone... I can stop it because it's veto. But it wouldn't be as good, because we have the great, big, beautiful bill. We gave tremendous tax cuts. It's amazing what we've done: no tax on tips, no tax on Social Security for our seniors, no tax on overtime. I mean, the tax cuts are incredible. They want to put them back," the US President stated in the podcast. 
Beyond blocking legislation, Trump signalled he would aggressively exercise his clemency powers to shield his aides and officials if Democrats win control of Congress and launch retaliatory investigations or prosecutions. 
Asked directly whether he would issue sweeping preemptive pardons to everyone who worked in his administration, Trump did not hesitate and said, "I would if I needed to. Sure," Trump stated. "I'd do it. I did it for J6."
Addressing potential inquiries targeting former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) leader Elon Musk and former agency staff member Edward Coristine, Trump confirmed he would utilise presidential clemency powers to prevent prospective prosecutions. 
"If they do it, we'll just have to protect those people," Trump stated when asked about prospective Democratic efforts targeting Musk and his DOGE team.
Trump justified the potential move by pointing to actions taken by former President Joe Biden during his final hours in office: "That's what Biden did. He gave everybody a pardon," Trump said, referencing Biden's outgoing pardons for Dr. Anthony Fauci, Gen. Mark Milley, members and staff of the House Jan. 6 committee, and his son Hunter.
Taking a final swipe at the congressional panel that investigated his first administration, Trump dismissed the committee as "the unselect committee" and "a corrupt committee."
Democrats are showing considerable strength in the final days ahead of the November 3 US midterm elections, with new polling indicating that the party is leading in five Republican-held Senate battleground states and maintaining a narrow advantage in another, potentially putting control of the upper chamber within reach.
According to the latest New York Times/Siena University polls, Democratic candidates are ahead in Texas, Kansas, Maine and Ohio, as well as Alaska, while the contest in Iowa remains virtually tied. Democrats are also leading in Michigan, a state where the party currently holds the Senate seat.
The findings come as Democrats seek to regain control of Congress amid voter dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump and growing concerns over the state of the economy and the cost of living.
The New York Times/Siena surveys found Democratic candidates holding substantial leads in Texas and Kansas, two traditionally Republican states where Democrats have not won Senate elections since 1988 and 1932, respectively.
In Texas, Democrat James Talarico leads Republican Ken Paxton by 50 per cent to 43 per cent. In Kansas, Democrat Chris Hamilton is ahead of Republican Senator Roger Marshall, 49 per cent to 44 per cent, according to the survey.
In Maine, Democrat Graham Platner leads Republican Senator Susan Collins, 51 per cent to 45 per cent, while in Ohio, Democrat Sherrod Brown is ahead of Republican Jon Husted, 49 per cent to 44 per cent, the New York Times/Siena surveys show.
In Alaska, Democrat Mary Peltola holds a narrow lead over Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, 48 per cent to 46 per cent. Iowa remains closely contested, with Democrat Josh Turek polling at 48 per cent and Republican Ashley Hinson at 47 per cent.
In Michigan, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed leads Republican Mike Rogers by 53 per cent to 42 per cent, according to the polls.
The surveys covered 610 voters in Alaska, 705 in Iowa, 736 in Kansas, 714 in Maine, 1,011 in Michigan, 717 in Ohio and 1,215 in Texas.
To secure a majority in the Senate, Democrats need to retain all the seats they currently hold and flip at least four Republican-held seats. The task has widely been viewed as challenging because several of the seats Democrats need to win are in traditionally Republican states.
The polls indicate that dissatisfaction with President Trump and concerns over his handling of the economy are creating challenges for Republican candidates.
While the New York Times/Siena surveys suggest Democrats are gaining ground in key Senate contests, the outcome will depend on whether these leads translate into votes, particularly in states that have traditionally favoured Republicans.