Democratic midterm win threatens to constrain Trump’s Middle East policies

Bryant Harris

Oct 24, 2018

Former U.S. President Barack Obama participates in a political rally for California Democratic candidates during a event in Anaheim, California, U.S., September 8, 2018. Left to right are candidates TJ Cox (CA-21), Gil Cisneros (CA-39), Katie Porter (CA-45), Harley Rouda (CA-48) and Mike Levin (CA-49). REUTERS/Mike Blake - RC1C008C89B0 — Former US President Barack Obama participates in a political rally for California Democratic candidates during a event in Anaheim, California, US, Sept. 8, 2018. Left to right are candidates TJ Cox (CA-21), Gil Cisneros (CA-39), Katie Porter (CA-45), Harley Rouda (CA-48) and Mike Levin (CA-49). — REUTERS/Mike Blake

Update: This story was updated on Nov. 7, 2018 after Democrats won the House in the mid-term elections.

President Donald Trump’s Middle East policies will face more constraints next year as Democrats' mid-term victory in the House of Representatives upends Republican control of Congress.

Democrats are looking to push back against Trump as he stands in lockstep with Saudi Arabia, an increasingly controversial ally, to pursue his hard-line Iran strategy. And the wars in Yemen and Syria are set to take center stage.

Saudi Arabia’s murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the devastating Saudi-led campaign in Yemen have created unprecedented bipartisan pushback against Riyadh. But Democrats are currently signaling a willingness to go a step further than most of their Republican counterparts.

Democratic midterm win threatens to constrain Trump’s Middle East policies

Democrats' victory in the House could impact US policy on Iran, Syria and Yemen.

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