Trump’s Midterm Defeat and the Course of the Iran War
The November 3 U.S. midterm elections delivered a major defeat to President Donald Trump and the Republican Party, with Democrats winning control of both chambers of Congress. For Gulf commentators, the results raise two questions: How much did the war with Iran contribute to the Republican defeat, and will the new balance of power in Washington push Trump toward diplomacy or further military escalation?
While some commentators interpret the results as a rejection of the economic and political costs of war, others caution that Democratic control of Congress will not necessarily restrain Trump’s foreign policy. Their disagreements extend to Gulf security, energy markets, and American support for Israel.
