Democrats won control of Congress in the U.S. midterm elections, a shift that will strip President Donald Trump of his Republican majority when the newly elected lawmakers take office on January 3, NOS reported. The result turns Trump into what Americans call a lame duck president, leaving him without the comfortable working majority he has enjoyed in both the House and Senate.
The timing matters. Until January 3, Trump retains executive authority, and security experts warn he could use that window to act aggressively abroad. “Trump can still carry out a sharp offensive on his own in this period,” security expert Glenn Schoen told WNL. “And if he does that, it will really be sharp and violent.”
Ukraine Aid and Russian Fuel Imports Could Return to Congress
Many members of Congress, including Republicans, have been angered by Trump’s approach toward Moscow and Kyiv, NOS reported. The new Democratic-led Congress could pass legislation to resume aid to Ukraine and halt imports of Russian fuel, measures that would reverse policies Trump pursued. President Zelensky visited the Capitol in July ahead of a vote on a Russia sanctions bill, underscoring the bipartisan concern over Trump’s course.
Whether Democrats will actually advance such measures remains an open question, NOS noted. Some lawmakers may argue for continuing the war in Iran because Iran appears determined to keep the Strait of Hormuz under its control, keeping global gas and oil prices high.
Iran Policy Faces a Narrower Path for Trump
The Democratic victory also constrains Trump’s Iran policy. Iranian-Dutch Negin Nafissi told WNL that the changed political balance gives Trump less room to continue his current approach. Nafissi said the economic pressure exerted on the Iranian regime in recent months has helped weaken it, but “the final step has not yet been taken, namely overthrowing the regime.”
Many Iranians are waiting for a final blow from abroad, she added, because little can be done from within while people risk their lives protesting. Another analyst, Albrecht, told WNL that Trump’s bombing campaign has made it nearly impossible for opposition inside Iran to topple the regime, leaving Iranians farther from that goal than a year ago.
NATO Withdrawal Requires Two-Thirds of Senate
For NATO allies, the result offers some protection. The American president cannot unilaterally withdraw the country from NATO; that requires the support of two-thirds of the senators present, WNL reported. That threshold makes a U.S. exit significantly harder, Schoen noted.
Israel Aid Remains Divisive Among Democrats
On Israel, the Democratic caucus is split. When Democrats proposed in Congress last summer to halt aid to Israel, fewer than half of their own representatives voted in favor, NOS reported. Even after the elections, some Democrats will continue to support Israel, and the party may reach a compromise on a less far-reaching measure, such as stopping deliveries of heavy bombs or imposing sanctions over the expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
Foreign Aid Programs Face Limits
Trump stopped roughly $5 billion in aid through USAID last year, forcing major foreign aid programs against hunger and for disease prevention such as Ebola and AIDS to close, NOS reported. Democrats cannot undo those actions or revive USAID, but they can use legislation to resume part of the foreign assistance.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the new Congress take office?
The newly elected members of Congress take their seats on January 3, according to NOS. Until that date, Trump remains in office with full executive powers.
Can Trump still withdraw the U.S. from NATO before January?
No. Withdrawing from NATO requires the support of two-thirds of the senators present, WNL reported, a threshold that makes unilateral withdrawal by the president impossible.
What happens to U.S. aid to Ukraine now?
The new Congress could pass a law to resume aid to Ukraine and stop Russian fuel imports, NOS reported, though whether Democrats will pursue that remains uncertain.