“Trump may be furious.” European diplomats fear the worst after the US elections

Five diplomats who spoke anonymously for the Politico website believe that if Donald Trump is limited by Congress in domestic policy, as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, he may look for an outlet for his ambitions in foreign policy. According to three of the portal's interlocutors, this could mean the withdrawal of thousands more troops from Europe.

Typically, what happens to presidents at the end of their terms is a mix of frustration and foreign policy adventurism, noted one senior European defense official.

He added that criticism and attacks on NATO "seem to be a permanent element of Trump's worldview."

In response to these concerns, White House assistant press secretary Olivia Wales told Politico that "President Trump has done more for NATO than anyone else." She also noted that Trump "remains adamant that our NATO allies should have sided with the United States" on the war with Iran. The president will never come to terms with the controlled decline of the West, she assured.

“He can act very harshly.”

The European side's concerns are intensified by Washington's recent decisions to cut off Ukrainian forces from the Starlink satellite communications system and the rapprochement in Trump's relations with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. As one diplomat admitted, in the event of an electoral defeat, the US president "may be very angry" and act "very harshly."

A review of American forces in Europe is scheduled for December. Three diplomatic sources cited by Politico fear that, given the impasse in domestic politics, Trump may significantly expand the scale of troop withdrawals to maintain support and enthusiasm for the MAGA movement. There is also a risk that the US military presence will be linked to the acceptance of the peace plan for Ukraine pushed by Washington, the portal noted.

Possible changes in the Pentagon

A possible Republican defeat could also trigger changes at the Pentagon. Given the deep dislike in Congress - especially Democrats - for Secretary of War Pete Hegseth over his lack of budget reports and controversial firings of generals, the administration could face a series of crippling parliamentary investigations. Hegseth's possible departure could, in turn, delay decisions on the review of forces in Europe for months.

The midterm elections for the United States Congress will be held on November 3. During them, one third of the Senate and the entire House of Representatives will be elected.