A chastened Trump after US midterms? Don’t bet on it
Democrats gaining the upper hand will create more friction, but may not alter the trajectory of foreign policies on Iran, China and Ukraine.
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The outcome of the US midterms is being closely watched abroad for its foreign policy implications, says the writer.
PHOTO: AFP
It’s always surprising how captivating US midterm elections are for people around the world. The elections won’t decide who sits in the White House; that remains a given until 2028. Yet, strategists around the world debate the finer points of potential wins and losses in various US congressional districts and states, and governments continue to speculate on whether President Donald Trump will lose control of only the House of Representatives, or whether the opposition Democrats may also capture the US Senate.
Traditionally, foreign policy questions seldom figure highly in the priorities of US voters. Nonetheless, foreign ministries around the world treat Nov 3, the date of the US midterms, as a potential inflexion point.