Trump says he'll work with Democrats rather than veto for two years

Speaking to Politico by phone as midterm results rolled in, President Donald Trump said he's ready to deal with the other side. "We're going to work with the Democrats to make sure things go well for our country," he told the outlet. The call came in during the outlet's live election coverage, where he talked about the blue wave with Politico's Dasha Burns.

The timing wasn't accidental. Democrats outperformed Republicans by a wide margin as the returns came in, an outcome that reshapes what Trump can push through Congress over the next two years. Leadership on the Hill now looks very different than it did before the votes were counted.

Trump made clear he's not planning to spend his time blocking bills. He pointed out that he holds the power to veto whatever lands on his desk, but said he doesn't want to just sit there vetoing everything for two years. "They wanna see things happen, too," he added.

Talks are already underway, according to the president. He said he's spoken to some Democratic leaders, and that a few of them reached out to him first. That two-way contact suggests at least some appetite on both sides for getting something done.

Pressed on whether that could mean an immigration deal, Trump didn't commit to anything specific. He said he would "consider doing whatever I think is appropriate and good for the country." For now, that leaves the door open without a roadmap.

The next moves are up to Washington. Watch whether those phone calls turn into actual legislation, or whether the two parties drift back to gridlock once the dust from the midterms settles.