German reactions to midterms: congratulations and tempered expectations

The outcome of the US midterm elections has also been followed with interest and excitement in federal politics. US President Trump's Republicans are losing the majority in both chambers of Congress - what consequences will this have for the future foreign policy of the US and thus also for German-American relations?

Pistorius congratulates - and dampens expectations

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius expressed himself pragmatically and soberly: The US government will remain the same and Germany will continue to work with it in a spirit of trust. Pistorius continued that he did not know what US President Donald Trump's plans would be for the near future. “But we’ve been dealing with this for years and adapting to it.” The SPD politician congratulated the US Democrats on a “historic victory” in Congress.

Hopefully not an “angry duck”

Pistorius' party colleague, foreign and security politician Siemtje Möller, believes it is possible that Trump will now focus heavily on foreign policy. "It remains to be hoped that it won't be an 'angry duck' so that we also suffer the consequences in Europe," said the vice-chairwoman of the SPD parliamentary group in the ARD morning magazine, alluding to the term "lame duck". In the USA, this is the term used to describe presidents who have lost an election and are therefore weakened for their further term in office.

Röttgen does not expect an end to “Trumpism”

“In essence, even after the clear victory for the Democrats in the midterms, it remains the same: foreign policy is determined by the president,” emphasized the Federal Government’s Transatlantic Coordinator, Metin Hakverdi (SPD).

The CDU foreign policy expert Norbert Röttgen sees a course correction at least within the realm of possibility, but that is not an end to “Trumpism”. It continues to be “strongly represented” as a mood and attitude and has “deep roots” in US society. It was positive that Trump had recognized his election victory, emphasized the deputy CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader on Deutschlandfunk.

Weidel sees the Iran war as the reason

According to AfD leader Alice Weidel, the clear defeat of Trump's Republicans has to do with his foreign policy and the Iran war. It is not unusual for the presidential party to lose the midterms, she said. "However, the extent of the Republicans' defeat is remarkable and can be explained primarily by the devastating consequences of the Iran War."

Trump promised his voters not to pursue an interventionist foreign policy. “This broken promise has now fallen on the Republicans’ feet.”

Green party leader speaks of a “stop sign against Trump”

Left co-leader Schwerdtner justifies the Republicans' defeat by saying that they have no solutions to offer to people's everyday problems. "Instead, Trump wages wars of aggression, tramples on international law, serves the interests of the oligarch class, drives up prices and tries to cover it all up with incitement and a policy of social division," she told Reuters. Apparently people were increasingly no longer falling for this.

Green Party leader Franziska Brantner viewed the election results as a “stop sign against Trump and his billionaires.” “From this you can draw hope for the democratic system in the USA and that it will hopefully get back on its feet,” she said in the rbb.