Democrats take Congress as Iran war becomes midterm issue
Democrats won control of Congress in the US midterm elections, with both the Senate and the House flipping in their favour. Vice President JD Vance said the war with Iran was the main reason voters moved towards the Democrats, and President Donald Trump agreed that rising fuel prices linked to the conflict had hurt his party. Trump said the war was necessary to stop Tehran getting a nuclear weapon and that he would make the same decision again. Trump also announced Washington would end about $4 billion in annual aid to Israel by the end of this year. The war began at the end of February.
Key facts
- Abdul El-Sayed won the Michigan Senate race, becoming the first Muslim senator in US history.
- James Talarico won the Democrats' first Senate seat in Texas in decades.
- Brent crude fell nearly nine percent to about 95 dollars per barrel after Vance's statement.
- Ross Harrison of the Middle East Institute said Netanyahu may push Trump towards renewed military action against Iran.
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Why it matters
The outcome shifts the balance of power in Washington during an ongoing military conflict with Iran.
What changed
First published from Euronews, Hindustan Times, BBC News, Middle East Eye and DW