How US foreign policy could change if Democrats win the Congress elections. Four possible scenarios

According to analysts cited by Reuters, Democrats have a good chance of gaining control over the House of Representatives and, possibly, the Senate. Currently, Republicans hold a majority in both chambers.

Democrats accuse them of allowing the Trump administration to unilaterally decide on matters of war and the spending of public money. According to the US Constitution, the right to declare war and approve budget expenditures belongs to Congress.

Reuters writes how a Democratic victory could change Washington's policy.

Restore aid to Ukraine

Trump largely halted direct financial and military aid to Ukraine, although it is supported by many congressmen from both parties.

Shortly after approving new sanctions against Russian energy, he made exceptions to them and lifted restrictions on Russian diesel fuel. This caused dissatisfaction among both Democrats and some Republicans.

If Democrats gain a majority in both chambers, they will be able to decide which bills to bring to a vote and when. This could allow for a vote on new aid to Ukraine.

Donald Trump could veto it. But, according to Reuters, there might be enough lawmakers to gather the two-thirds of votes in each chamber needed to override a veto.

Democrats could also try to block individual decisions of the US president. For example, Congressman Gregory Meeks has already introduced a bill against Trump's plan to return Russian diesel to the global market. In case of a Democratic victory, Meeks could chair the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Stop the war with Iran

Trump started a war with Iran on February 28 without Congressional authorization.

Controlling at least one chamber would give Democrats more leverage to pressure the president through funding. They could push for cuts in military spending, demanding that the continuation of the war be approved by Congress.

Additionally, they could summon administration officials to public hearings to explain their plans and answer questions.

Reduce or stop military aid to Israel

Support for Israel among Democrats has sharply declined due to the war in Gaza, where thousands of Palestinian civilians have died. Benjamin Netanyahu's close ties with Republicans also influenced attitudes towards the Israeli authorities.

In the last fiscal year, American military aid to Israel amounted to $3.8 billion. Democrats could try to limit or completely stop it.

This summer, almost half of the Democrats in the House of Representatives already voted to halt aid. Some of those who did not support a complete ban advocate for restrictions on certain types of weapons — for example, heavy bombs.

Contain military spending and restore foreign aid

Democrats are more likely than Republicans to oppose increasing military spending. If they win the elections, it will be easier for them to block such presidential plans.

This year, Trump proposed increasing the military budget by 67% — to $1.5 trillion. Democrats have already blocked this proposal in the Senate. They criticized the president for demanding a sharp increase in military spending while cutting social programs. Another reason was his refusal to coordinate the war with Iran with Congress.

A separate issue is American aid to other countries. Congress has already approved billions of dollars in allocation, but Trump has delayed or canceled this funding. Democrats say they will try to restore the aid.

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