News | Administration

Future of Washington’s scrutiny of Columbia hangs in balance as Democrats retake control of Congress

Congressional oversight on the University has become a fixture in recent years. The results from Tuesday’s midterms leave what comes next up in the air.

By Saumya Chaudhry / Illustrations Editor

With Democrats en route to return to power following Tuesday’s elections, the direction of the final two years of the Trump presidency has been set.

By Joseph Zuloaga • November 5, 2026 at 4:58 AM

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Photo by Daniel Torok / Courtesy of The White House

Over the past two years, the Louisiana Republican has positioned himself as a fierce Trump ally on Capitol Hill. Following their midterm defeat, Johnson announced on Wednesday he would not run to lead House Republicans in the next Congress.

Zanni said that her conversations with six New York politicians contextualized the state of play when it comes to higher education policy on Capitol Hill.

As Trump becomes a lame-duck president, the question of who will pick up the conservative vision for higher education remains open.