8 months of strikes end in a midterm setback
President Trump admits the Iran war contributed to Republican losses as Democrats sweep Congress, forcing a reassessment of US support for Israel and Ukraine.
By James Brooks ·
The US midterm elections have reshaped the diplomatic landscape for three major conflicts.
President Donald Trump spent nearly two years overturning American foreign policy. Allies and adversaries now watch to see how an electoral setback changes his approach. Republicans lost control of Congress after eight months of strikes on Iran's economic lifelines. Trump told Fox News the war partly caused the losses. Vice President JD Vance stated on X that the war was the reason for the defeat.
In Tehran, officials celebrated the result but prepared for more conflict. Parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that Iran's no would come with a nightmare if the US betrayed its public will. Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said anyone expecting a policy shift was deeply mistaken. Trump told some journalists he is considering striking Iran hard. He told others he has no immediate plans to escalate. Ali Vaez of the International Crisis Group noted the president may seek redemption on the battlefield. Diplomacy continues through Qatari mediators. Iran offered to open the Strait of Hormuz in two days if Trump accepted seven conditions.
Israel faces a sharper cut to US military aid. Trump announced the reduction on election day. Democrats swept both chambers of Congress. Michael Oren, a former Israeli ambassador, called the loss of bipartisan support the end of an era. He said the US could stop sharing intelligence or developing the Iron Dome system with Israel. Yaakov Katz, a former editor of the Jerusalem Post, warned that arms sales could be blocked and sanctions proposed. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lost his parliamentary majority in elections held a week before the midterms. His rival Gadi Eisenkot lacks an outright majority and may need Arab party support.
Ukraine reacted with relative silence on Wednesday. President Volodymyr Zelensky has faced a strained relationship with Trump for weeks. Trump demanded a change in leadership and pursued energy deals benefiting Russia. Deputy Secretary Sergiy Kyslytsia pledged on TV to develop stable relations with the new Congress. Kyiv plans to seek Patriot interceptors and navigate likely executive orders. The administration has punished Ukraine for not accepting Russian demands. Kyiv now calculates it cannot depend solely on Washington. Vladimir Putin may view the election as a signal to push for battlefield gains before 2028.
The new congressional majority gives Democrats tools to challenge executive action. Trump retains considerable freedom to act abroad. World leaders wait to see if the defeat makes him more willing to compromise or more determined to enforce his terms.
