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Trump is already testing Congress and daring Republicans to oppose him

Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., joined at left by Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., meets with reporters after he was elected to succeed longtime GOP leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. Associated Press

WASHINGTON — After a resounding election victory, delivering what President-elect Donald Trump and Republicans said is a mandate to govern, an uneasy political question is emerging: Will there be any room for dissent in the U.S. Congress?

Trump is laying down a gauntlet even before taking office challenging the Senate, in particular, to dare defy him over the nominations of Matt Gaetz, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other controversial choices for his Cabinet and administration positions.

The promise of unified government, with the Republican Party’s sweep of the White House and GOP majorities in the House and Senate, is making way for a more complicated political reality as congressional leaders confront anew what it means to line up with Trump’s agenda.

“This is going to be a red alert moment for American democracy,” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said on CNN after Trump tapped Gaetz for attorney general.

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