The Republicans' crushing defeat in the US midterm elections puts Donald Trump under enormous pressure domestically. But what does this defeat mean for foreign policy? Will the world, and Europe with it, be able to predict the actions of the occupant of the White House, or will the situation worsen due to warnings of what observers call the “angry duck,” that is, when the American president loses his majority in Congress and nevertheless continues to exercise all his powers with complete ferocity. Therefore, Berlin, along with the rest of the European capitals, received these developments with mixed feelings that combine relief and hope, but also a lot of doubts. Among German parliamentarians, fears seem to prevail. In this regard, Armin Laschet, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the German Parliament (Bundestag), told the Welt channel, saying, “Trump is facing internal pressure, and this in itself may make the situation dangerous in terms of foreign policy, as he may seek to prove his presence and confirm that he is still an influential player.”
German and European leaders have been criticizing Trump for his tariff policy, his critical stance towards NATO, and his announcement of the withdrawal of American forces from Europe. However, it remains unclear what Republicans can achieve thanks to their majority in Congress. On the one hand, they cannot pass many laws, such as those related to tariffs, in the Senate without obtaining sixty votes, which makes them need the support of some Republicans. On the other hand, Trump has the power to use his veto power to block laws, a measure that can only be overridden by a two-thirds majority in both houses of Parliament. Europeans are also interested in Washington's policy towards Ukraine and Russia, but also in the influence of "Trumpism" on the populist right in Europe.
Trump's resounding defeat was such a shock to the far right in Europe that some of its leaders began to distance themselves from the US president. Many of these leaders were celebrating their ideological ties with Trump following his victory in 2024, and some of them have been visiting Washington since then, receiving support from his ally, billionaire Elon Musk. In Germany, Alice Weidel, co-leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany party, also attributed the loss to the Iran war. She told the German website T-Online, “Trump had promised his voters not to pursue a foreign policy based on intervention... This promise, which he broke, has now come back to haunt the Republicans.” Jordan Bardella, the leader of the French National Rally party, went in the same direction, and considered that “American intervention regarding Iran has very serious consequences” for economies around the world, without explicitly mentioning Trump as being responsible for this intervention. As for Matteo Salvini, leader of the far-right League party, which is part of the ruling coalition, he said, “The result in the United States was affected above all by wars, international tensions, and the high cost of living, which families are bitter about.”
In this regard, the Latvian newspaper Niatkarega Rita Avizzi wrote, commenting, “How will the failures of the Trump-backed candidates affect politics in Latvia and Europe? The most important lesson drawn from these elections is that populism, whatever concept each individual associates with it, quickly dissipates and loses its momentum. If it lacks real policy, concrete action, and agreed upon ethical and normative principles, the naive idea based on “offering simple solutions to complex problems” may work for a while. Short, but it will inevitably lead, sooner or later, to political bankruptcy. Therefore, the defeat of the Republicans in the American elections serves as a signal to all European parties that have adapted their policies according to “Trumpist” ideas. In general, it can be said that global politics has gradually begun to regain its usual normal character. However, almost every country may have to go through, for once, a phase of “Trumpism.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed that US President Donald Trump still enjoys a strong position despite his defeat in the midterm elections that were swept by the Democrats. During an economic forum organized by the Social Democratic Party in Berlin, Mertz said that during the past two years, Trump had largely ruled bypassing Congress, and relied most of the time on issuing “executive orders.” He added that Trump will continue to follow this approach. The head of the German Christian Democratic Party pointed out that, according to the Constitution, the US President has broad powers and can make decisions independently of Congress. Meretz explained that the change would affect budget planning, and then planning for the armed forces, but he noted that bringing about this change would take time.
Democrats will chair the committees in the Senate, and will have the final say in confirming Trump's nominees, when the new Congress begins its work in January. Many of them are also seeking to allocate new funds to Ukraine. “In practice, this means that Congress, even under Democratic leadership, may include in laws appropriations for Ukraine or development aid, but the president may refrain from spending them,” wrote Nevada Joan Lee, a policy researcher at the European Council on Foreign Relations. The expert advised European governments to rely only on the funds that actually arrive.
It appears that the imposition of tariffs by President Trump is no longer dependent on Congressional approval. After the Supreme Court invalidated the emergency tariffs it had previously imposed in February, the administration reclassified them under Section 301 of the US Trade Act. This path allows the president to take action without having to return to Congress. Democrats can call hearings or block appointments of officials proposed by the president, but they cannot easily strip him of that power. Like foreign policy, trade is another area in which the president can exercise his authority unilaterally, without consulting US lawmakers. In theory, nothing prevents Trump from imposing new tariffs on Europe.
