Allies Cautious After Republicans Lose Midterm Control
World leaders weigh relief at the U.S. election shift against the reality that President Trump retains command of foreign policy for two more years.
By Anthony Shevchenko ·
Voters in the United States have stripped the Republican Party of its congressional majorities, a move that has sent mixed signals through foreign capitals. While many leaders expressed relief at the Democratic victory, they remain cautious because President Donald Trump will continue to steer American foreign policy until his term ends.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that the election results provide a chance for nations to unite on cost of living pressures. He noted that fuel prices have soared due to the ongoing conflict in Iran, a major source of frustration for voters. Burnham said he cannot reduce these pressures until the Middle East conflict resolves. He also identified the war in Ukraine, which Russia started, as a key area for global focus.
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez framed the U.S. result as part of a global trend of liberal comebacks. He referenced recent defeats for right-wing populists in Hungary, Brazil, and Serbia. On social media, Sánchez wrote that Americans voted against hate, machismo, and climate denialism. He faces his own election on November 29 and said the trend would soon reach Spain.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said the majority of Americans sent a clear message. He said they have had enough of the MAGA movement and want a different course away from polarization.
European leaders emphasized that the U.S. shift will not immediately alter strained alliances. Trump has criticized European leaders over immigration, wind farms, and NATO membership. He has also threatened to pull the U.S. out of NATO and expressed a desire to take over Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of Denmark.
Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger stated that Austria and Europe must not depend on how voters in Kansas or Iowa vote. She said the region is strengthening its own defense capability and competitiveness independently of the election outcome.
Laurel Rapp, director of the U.S. and North America program at the Chatham House think tank, said there will not be a moment where the U.S. relationship with Europe resets. She predicted the administration’s approach to Europe will remain transactional, driven by deep skepticism about the value Europe offers in defense.
North American neighbors reserved judgment on the diplomatic impact. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said the world must wait and see. Canadian Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc said it is not clear if the result will strengthen Ottawa’s position in trade war talks. He expected clarity when the new Congress takes over in January. Ontario Premier Doug Ford, whose province suffers from tariffs on automobiles and steel, said the victory gives Canada a little more leverage. He declared it a win for the country and the world.
Russia signaled it hopes Trump will stick to his current approach. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia hopes the president will continue his peacemaking efforts regardless of the election. The administration has pressured Ukraine to end the war Russia started with its 2022 invasion. Ukraine accused Washington of delaying delivery of vital interceptor missiles and reported that a temporary disruption to Starlink and Starshield satellite internet impeded its defense against Russian attacks. Last month, Trump waived sanctions on Russia even though Congress had overwhelmingly approved the measures as part of legislation supporting Ukraine.
German lawmaker Jürgen Hardt, a foreign policy spokesperson for Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s center-right bloc, urged Republicans to view the result as a verdict on Trump’s wrong foreign policy. He said he hopes the president will exercise more reason on foreign affairs. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, a target of Trump’s claims regarding discrimination against the white minority, said Democrats controlling both houses of Congress would introduce a new era in world relations. Rapp added that Congress will have an easier time constraining Trump domestically than in foreign policy, where he retains latitude to use his tools at will.
