Democrats seize US Congress in midterm landslide — Trump's Iran war blamed

Democrats won decisive control of both chambers in Tuesday's US midterms, flipping six Republican Senate seats to claim a 54-44 majority and dominating the House 245-145. The "blue tsunami" represents a historic rebuke of President Trump — the largest midterm swing since 1974 — driven by voter anger over the Iran war's economic fallout and Trump's foreign policy adventures.

Abdul El-Sayed made history as the first Muslim man elected to the Senate, winning Michigan on a platform of universal healthcare and a billionaire wealth tax. Meanwhile, Trump allies Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie, who broke ranks over the Iran war, were vindicated — though both paid political prices earlier.

For Nigeria, the shift matters directly: Trump's administration spread false claims of "Christian genocide" in Nigeria to justify hostile policies. A Democratic Congress can now scrutinize and potentially block such narratives through budgetary oversight of foreign policy. The Iran war — which Trump admitted hurt Republicans at the pumps — may face funding restrictions, potentially stabilizing global oil prices that affect Nigerian pump prices.

Iran's parliament speaker gloated that Americans "said NO TO WAR," while Israeli PM Netanyahu and AIPAC (which spent $55M backing pro-war candidates) suffered major defeats. Elon Musk's $500M Republican investment also evaporated.

With Trump's legislative agenda hamstrung and JD Vance's 2028 prospects dimmed, the next two years could see US foreign policy pivot toward multilateralism — a shift Nigeria's diplomats should prepare for.

SOURCE: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/922880-winners-and-losers-of-2026-us-midterms.html