Democrats Rethink Their Approach in Response to Trump's Second Term
The Democratic Party's leading think tank, the Center for American Progress (CAP), held its annual IDEAS Conference in Washington, D.C., on May 19, 2026. The overarching message was clear, if unspoken: the party is turning away from the restorative mission that President Joe Biden's administration pursued after President Donald Trump's first term. Instead, Democrats appear determined to counter Trump's second term by adopting his tactics and aiming to radically reshape the government, rather than treating Trump as an anomaly.
This shift was delivered by a group of Biden loyalists, including Neera Tanden, former White House appointee and head of CAP; Biden's secretary of state; ambassador to the United Nations; chair of his Council of Economic Advisers; and another senior White House adviser. California Governor Gavin Newsom, a likely 2028 presidential candidate, was the highest-profile speaker. While expressing reverence for Biden, Newsom explicitly rejected Biden's tactics. "We have to be as ruthless as our opposition," Newsom told the audience at the Mayflower Hotel. "I'm sick of just winning arguments, with all due respect to the niceties. It feels good, but we're going to lose our republic."
Embracing Aggression Over Politeness
In an interview with Tanden, Newsom mocked Democrats' fondness for the bipartisan ideals portrayed in Aaron Sorkin's works. He vowed to "fight fire with fire," and his success in pushing through a referendum to gerrymander California in response to GOP gerrymandering earned him a hero's welcome. Other speakers echoed this emphasis on strength over political courtesy. New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill stated, "We cannot be the party of strongly worded letters. We cannot wait for 10-year studies." She outlined steps she had taken to lower energy costs since taking office.
Democrats are also showing interest in emulating Trump's use of executive power while rolling back his efforts to diminish congressional authority. Representative Greg Casar (D-Texas), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, argued that Democrats cannot respond to Trump's abuses by supporting "an executive who can do very little." He asserted, "We need for the next Democratic president to be able to act aggressively, to rebuild everything that DOGE tore down, and to be able to implement policy quickly."
Redistricting and Executive Action
The party does not plan to pause redistricting efforts, even if Trump currently holds the advantage. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries announced plans to draw new maps in seven blue states ahead of 2028: New York, New Jersey, Washington, Colorado, Oregon, Illinois, and Maryland. "We'll have new maps in these states all across the country to wipe away any advantage that they may try to gain," Jeffries said of the GOP.
Biden entered office with a different vision, focusing on rebuilding political norms, international alliances, and institutions he valued from his Senate years. He pursued executive action reluctantly and viewed Republicans as reasonable legislators misled by Trump. Democratic voters had doubts about this approach in 2020 but trusted Biden to win. However, Trump's return to office broke that trust, leaving the party without power for at least two years.
Newsom's Vision for the Party's Future
Newsom summed up the party establishment's conclusion: "A year ago, my sense was that our path back as Democrats — weak and ineffective were the buzzwords — was through the center, but I increasingly think that it is through the fight. People want fighters, people want people with conviction and clarity; not ideological argument or interesting evidence."
This strategy may not please all Democrats. Moderates argue the party needs to move to the center on social issues to avoid a permanent Senate disadvantage. Progressives doubt that Biden-era leaders, many with roots in Bill Clinton's administration, can meaningfully change the party. Republicans may scoff at the notion that Democrats are not already ruthless.
Limits to Aggression
There were limits to the aggressive tone. Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) called for reforming America's food system, emphasizing support rather than opposition. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) focused on universal childcare. Despite numerous attacks on Trump's corruption, Democrats showed little interest in impeaching him if they regain the House next year. Representative Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, explained, "I think that spending all of our time on impeaching a president that is not going to get convicted — it's happened already two other times — is not the best use of all the energy that Democrats have. Trump does an impeachable offense every week. We could spend an enormous amount of time going through that process, or we could do everything we can to stop the Trump agenda."
