Honestly, if you look at Washington right now, it’s a total pressure cooker. Ever since the 2024 election wrapped up and Donald Trump took the oath again in 2025, people have been asking the same thing: what is the actual plan? Is there a plan? Or are they just reacting to every tweet—or well, "Truth"—that comes out of the White House?
It’s complicated.
For a while there, right after the inauguration, the Democratic party looked a little shell-shocked. But we're now deep into January 2026, and the "resistance" 2.0 has finally found its legs. It's not the same screaming-into-the-void energy we saw back in 2017. It's quieter. More legalistic. Kinda surgical, actually.
The big question—what are democrats doing about trump to actually stop his agenda—has a few different answers depending on who you ask.
The Courtroom Blitz: Lawsuits are the New Legislation
Since Democrats don't have the numbers in the House or the Senate to pass anything major, they’ve outsourced their power to the state Attorneys General. It’s basically "litigation as governance."
Just look at the numbers. As of this week, Democratic AGs from 22 states have already filed 71 lawsuits against the Trump administration. They aren't just suing for fun; they are targeting very specific things. We’re talking about challenges to the National Guard deployments for immigration enforcement and the new tariffs that have been hitting everyone’s wallets.
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The logic is simple: throw sand in the gears. If they can tie up an executive order in a district court in Oregon or New York for six months, that’s six months where that policy isn't happening. They’ve actually won about 40 of the 51 cases that have been resolved so far. That’s a pretty decent batting average.
The "Affordability" Pivot
You’ve probably noticed the vibe shift in the messaging.
Early last year, you heard a lot about "threats to democracy" and "constitutional norms." Now? It’s all about your grocery bill. Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries have basically banned the word "insurrection" from their vocabulary in favor of the word "affordability."
They’re betting everything on the idea that Trump’s tariffs and tax cuts for the wealthy are making life too expensive for the average person. It's a bit of a "told you so" strategy. They’re waiting for the buyer's remorse to kick in.
- The Tariff Trap: Democrats are hammering the point that 10% to 60% tariffs on imports are just a "sales tax" on Americans.
- The ACA Fight: They spent the end of 2025 fighting a government shutdown over subsidies for the Affordable Care Act, trying to prove they are the ones keeping healthcare costs down.
- The NOPE Act: Just a few days ago, a group of House Democrats introduced the "National Opposition to Political Enforcement" (NOPE) Act. It’s a mouthful, but basically, it’s designed to protect people from what they call "politically motivated prosecutions."
The Blue Wall Governors
While the DC crowd is playing the long game, the governors are the ones doing the heavy lifting right now. Gavin Newsom in California and J.B. Pritzker in Illinois have essentially turned their states into "laboratories of resistance."
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Newsom called a special legislative session specifically to "Trump-proof" California’s laws on climate and civil rights. It’s pretty bold stuff. They’re even talking about "fiscal disobedience"—basically finding ways to keep state tax dollars from being snatched up by a federal government that they claim is withholding aid for things like wildfires or education.
It’s a risky game. Trump has already threatened to withhold emergency funds from California, calling the state’s policies "insane." It’s a game of chicken that’s playing out in real-time.
The DNC’s Massive Gamble
Then there's the money.
The new DNC Chair, Ken Martin, just announced a seven-figure pilot program in Arizona and Nevada called "When We Count." For years, Democrats relied on non-profit groups to register voters. But those groups have to be non-partisan. Martin is ditching that. He wants paid "fellows" to go out and explicitly sign people up as Democrats.
He’s admitted it’s a crisis. The party lost too many young voters and Hispanic voters in 2024. They’re trying to build a "partisan machine" that can rival what the Republicans have. They are literally trying to "create more Democrats" before the 2026 midterms.
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What happens next?
If you're wondering where this is all going, keep your eyes on the 2026 midterm elections. That is the "all or nothing" moment.
If Democrats can flip the House, they get the power of the subpoena. They can start investigating everything from the "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE) to how the mass deportation plans are being funded. Without the House, they are just a party with a lot of lawyers and a lot of press releases.
Actionable Steps for the Politically Curious
If you want to stay on top of what are democrats doing about trump without getting overwhelmed by the 24-hour news cycle, here’s how to track the actual impact:
- Follow the AG Trackers: Sites like Just Security or the Progressive State Leaders Committee keep live lists of every lawsuit filed against the administration. If a judge in a random state issues an injunction, that’s where you’ll see it first.
- Watch the 2026 "Battleground" Registration Data: Keep an eye on voter registration numbers in states like Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Nevada. If the DNC's new "When We Count" program is working, you'll see the registration gap start to close by mid-2026.
- Monitor State "Trump-Proofing" Legislation: If you live in a blue state, look at your local state house. Laws being passed now regarding data privacy, reproductive rights, and environmental standards are specifically being written to withstand federal challenges.
- Listen for the "Affordability" Narrative: Pay attention to the Sunday shows. If Democrats stop talking about the economy and go back to talking about "norms," it usually means their internal polling shows the "affordability" message isn't sticking.
Ultimately, the strategy is about survival until the midterms. They are trying to stay relevant while the "Blue Wall" governors try to keep the federal government at arm's length. It's a high-stakes experiment in American federalism, and we're all just watching to see if the gears of government hold up or finally strip.