A role vacant since summer

The post has sat largely empty since Karoline Leavitt departed the administration in the summer, and her initial replacement, Katie Zacharia, lasted five days. Into that gap, Trump abruptly announced on Saturday that he had offered Dana White, CEO and president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the role of White House press secretary.

The president described White as "a violent Fighter and Warrior", and pressed him publicly to accept: "Dana will be a Press Secretary like none other. Dana, please take the job!"

Trump's 'giant step back'

On Sunday morning, Trump turned to Truth Social to assess the midterm election results. "America took a giant step back in History with the results of the last Election," he wrote, citing a sharp sell-off in global markets that fueled a rout of US tech stocks. He added: "But have no fear, we will be back, BIGGER AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!"

The defeat was sweeping. Republicans lost control of both chambers of the US Congress in Tuesday's midterm elections, with voters frustrated by the Iran war and sweeping tariffs.

• •With 33 of 35 Senate races called, Democrats won 54 seats to the Republicans' 44.
• •Votes are still being counted in Alaska, a key battleground, and Mississippi, a previous Republican stronghold that remains too close to call.

Staffing points rightward

Stephen Miller will begin as White House chief of staff on Monday. His promotion has stoked expectations that Trump will double down on an aggressive immigration crackdown, stoke cultural war battles, and refuse concessions to the Democratic majority.

Trump donor and energy executive Dan Eberhart told Reuters the move points to a combative posture for the remainder of the term. "Signals the administration is going to have a fighting-from-a-bunker approach the last two years," he said.

Investigations loom in January

Democrats say Miller and Elon Musk are likely to be targets of congressional investigations once the party retakes control of Congress in January. Congressman Robert Garcia of California, set to chair the House oversight committee next year, said the inquiries are set to explore Musk's involvement in the Department of Government Efficiency's mass firing of federal workers and Miller's role in the immigration crackdown.

"Not just from our committee, but from committees across the Congress – to speak to Mr Musk," Garcia told CNN. Representative Jamie Raskin, poised to chair the House judiciary committee, has requested information on the business dealings of Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and son Donald Trump Jr.

The administration has responded by going on the offensive. Trump ordered the Department of Justice to 'look into' Democrats planning oversight of his administration and family, and attorney general Todd Blanche told CNN's State of the Union on Sunday that "there could be" investigations. Blanche claimed Republicans faced 'dangerous' threats without specifying crimes, saying: "You have to draw the line".

Meanwhile, the outgoing Republican majority has turned its attention to the Alaska Senate race. Congressman James Comer of Kentucky, who currently heads the House oversight committee, told Fox News the committee will dedicate the last two months of this congress to investigating Alaska over its Senate race controversy. Trump has threatened Democratic candidate Mary Peltola with criminal prosecution over reports that her campaign was linked to the recruitment of a second "Dan Sullivan" sharing the Republican candidate's name.

Votes in Alaska and Mississippi are still being counted, the press secretary job awaits Dana White's answer, and Democratic-led investigations are set to begin when the new Congress is seated in January.