![[US Midterm Elections 2026] Trump's power weakens at home but differs abroad BBC International Editor-in-Chief](/api/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fichef.bbci.co.uk%2Face%2Fws%2F240%2Fcpsprodpb%2Fb1c3%2Flive%2Fed878090-d880-11f1-a701-fddedf244c16.jpg)
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Jeremy Bowen International Editor
US President Donald Trump loves the biggest exchanges. In that sense, the crushing defeat given to Mr. Trump by the majority of American voters in the recent midterm elections can be said to have political roots.
But don't expect him to soften toward the end of his political career. His power to direct, manipulate, and obstruct is certainly limited domestically, as the ruling Republican Party has lost its majority in both houses of Congress.
But abroad, the story is likely to be different.
As President of the United States and Commander-in-Chief of the United States Armed Forces, he holds great authority to exercise America's military power.
It is not easy to predict the fluctuations in Mr. Trump's actions and policies. As president, he has used policy U-turns as a weapon. On the other hand, some things remain the same.
One of these is his disdain for those he considers to be losers, and his determination to never be considered a loser himself.
There is a possibility that he will take action abroad in an attempt to erase his disastrous defeat in the midterm elections. He claims, despite all evidence, that he lost the election because his name was not on the ballot. Undaunted by the results of this election, they may try to make moves that show off the decisive actions of a strong president and befitting a winner.
war with iran
In the weeks leading up to the midterm elections, U.S. military deployments and Trump's often belligerent rhetoric fueled speculation that the United States was preparing to return to war with Iran.
On the eve of voting, the United States conducted limited bombing raids on Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf.
Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy attended a classified briefing on military options for resuming war with Iran before he was hospitalized with a stroke.
He denounced the plan at the time as "insane," without giving details. He warned that this would lead to a "catastrophic worsening of the situation."
There has long been speculation that the US is planning to bomb civilian infrastructure.
Not only would it likely amount to a war crime, but it could also invite devastating retaliatory attacks by Iran against similar targets in U.S. allies in the Gulf. The most likely country to be targeted is the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is close to both the United States and Israel.
The Iranian regime is closely monitoring the political situation in the United States. He also expressed satisfaction that the impact of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has become a political issue in the United States.
The war and attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz continue to drive up prices for everything from gasoline and diesel fuel to agricultural fertilizers. Iran knows it's hurting Trump and the Republican Party.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baghel Ghalibaf posted the following warning on social media:
"Whether out of conscience or the (rising) cost of living, Americans said no to war. We stand by this message. If the U.S. government betrays the will of its people and acts on behalf of international funders and blackmailers, we will know that our no comes with nightmares."
Benjamin Netanyahu, who became Israel's interim prime minister after last week's election and is working to form a new government, has repeatedly expressed his desire to overthrow Iran's Islamic regime.
According to Israeli and American reports, Mr. Netanyahu is lobbying Mr. Trump to restart the war.
Even with his current coalition partners, Netanyahu still does not have enough seats to form a new government.
In that situation, if a large-scale war were to resume, be prolonged, and directly attack the Israeli people, he would have a new option: to form a national unity government. In that government, he would use his great political skill to continue to rule.
war in ukraine
Another major conflict Trump could turn to is with Ukraine and Russia. It has already lasted longer than World War I.
Ahead of the midterm elections, Trump partially lifted sanctions on Russia in order to purchase Russian diesel fuel. It is also possible that sanctions relief will be extended or expanded in an effort to somehow ease the economic burden on U.S. consumers.
Ukraine is asking the United States to increase production of interceptor systems using funds from European countries supporting Ukraine. But I haven't gotten the answer I want. As a result, more Russian ballistic missiles are flying into Ukraine than ever before. Although civilians in Ukraine are in a potentially deadly situation, Mr. Trump has shown no apparent concern about it.
A Kremlin spokesperson said that Russia hopes the election results will not affect Trump's "peace efforts."
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Trump is trying to force Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to make territorial concessions to Russia. By doing so, they are trying to reach an agreement that would be a de facto surrender for Ukraine.
Trump will soon add this to his unreal list of wars he has solved and ended.
Trump, suffering the pain of his election loss, could increase pressure on Zelensky to accept concessions that he has repeatedly rejected.
There is little doubt that Trump will continue to try to erect a monument to himself in Washington.
Furthermore, it must be emphasized that his predictions regarding future trends both domestically and internationally are not necessarily correct. But one thing is certain: he will never sit in the presidential rocking chair and wait for his term in the White House to end.
Trump has enjoyed and wielded power throughout his presidency. That won't change in the future. And it's entirely possible that he wants to show that even if he can't shake America, he can shake the world.
(English article: Trump's loss limits powers at home, but it will likely be different abroad)
