Democrats won a sweeping victory in the US midterm elections. According to Semafor, the result could weaken President Donald Trump's leverage over allies who have previously gone along with his demands. A European diplomat told Semafor that "everybody is now obliged to look toward the post-Trump era."
Max Bergmann of the Center for Strategic and International Studies said Europeans did "a lot of bending the knee" in the first two years of Trump's presidency. He predicted that this deference could fade. Allies, he said, feel they no longer need to accept such treatment.
Trade deals could also be at risk, said Richard Fontaine, CEO of the Center for a New American Security. He said allies such as the United Kingdom and South Korea may be less willing to honour billion-dollar trade agreements negotiated under pressure. Instead, he said, they will have an "incentive" to "play out the clock."
The White House defended Trump's record. Spokeswoman Anna Kelly told Semafor that Trump had restored American strength on the global stage and strengthened ties with world leaders. She said fair trade had been restored, investment was pouring in and the homeland was safer. Kelly added that the president would keep working with anyone to put America first.