Political Leverage and Legislative Strategy: How Trump Overperformed with Congress in 2025

ABSTRACT As gauged by the factors usually believed to determine legislative success with Congress—party control, seat share, and presidential approval—President Trump was situated similarly during the first years of each of his terms. Yet, he achieved substantially greater legislative success in 2025 than in 2017. This contrast indicates that the conventional explanatory factors no longer fully capture what drives presidential success in an era of intense party polarization. Instead, intraparty dynamics and legislative strategy have an important role in shaping outcomes under unified government today. Understanding contemporary presidential effectiveness requires looking beyond seat shares and public opinion to the internal politics of the governing coalition.