Democrats, with their takeover of the House on Tuesday, are now positioned to rein in defense spending and create a headache for President Trump as he pursues a Space Force and controversial policies such as transgender service restrictions.

The new majority is also expected to turn the page on two years of Republican rule by naming Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., a staunch critic of the president and skeptic of big Pentagon budgets, the new House Armed Services Committee chairman next year.