Why Europe shouldn’t celebrate a Democratic midterm victory

The article argues that a Democratic midterm victory would offer Europe little comfort on foreign policy, since Congress has few tools to constrain presidents in that arena. The piece notes that presidents hold broad authority over trade, tariffs, sanctions, and military matters, allowing Trump to press his agenda abroad regardless of legislative control. For Europe, this means risks such as tariffs on European goods, pressure on NATO spending, and unilateral moves on Iran or Russia could persist even with a Democratic House. The author suggests Europe should prepare for continued unpredictability rather than expect congressional checks to moderate Trump's behavior. What to watch next: how European leaders adjust their strategies—potentially pursuing independent approaches on trade and security—rather than relying on U.S. legislative outcomes.