Democrats have taken control of both the United States House of Representatives and the Senate following Tuesday's midterm elections, delivering a sweeping defeat to President Donald Trump's Republican Party.
The new Congress, set to convene in early January, will mark a sharp departure from the first two years of Trump's second term, during which Republicans held majorities in both chambers.
Trump acknowledged the political cost of the war on Iran. "I think a part of it was Iran, but at the same time, people understood the importance of what I've done with Iran," he told Fox News in a telephone interview.
Frustration over inflation and the rising cost of fuel and groceries were among the main factors driving voters away from Republicans. Democrats campaigned heavily on affordability and domestic spending.
Trump launched military operations against Iran alongside Israel in February without congressional authorisation. While he retains the authority to order further strikes, the new Democratic-controlled Congress could impose constraints on his military decisions.
Lawmakers could use their power to deny additional funding when the current government-funding bill expires on December 11. However, James Boys, a research fellow at the Centre on US Politics at University College London, cautioned that cutting off funds would not be straightforward. "With troops in theatre, this would prove to be highly problematic and be seen to be placing American lives at risk," he said.
Analysts also noted that the War Powers Resolution is unlikely to succeed in reining in the president. Previous attempts to invoke the 1973 federal law have been defeated or rendered ineffective.
Under the resolution, a president may repel an imminent attack, but military action must end within 60 days unless Congress declares war. The president can veto any congressional resolution, and overriding that veto requires a two-thirds supermajority in both chambers — a threshold Democrats fall well short of in the newly elected Congress.
Scott Lucas, professor of international politics at the UCD Clinton Institute in Dublin, said Congress could still pursue legislation by "working with some Republicans who might distance themselves from Trump" following the midterm results. He pointed to Vice President JD Vance, who has opposed the war from the outset, as a potential factor. Last week, Vance sent a letter to Iran's security chief in a reported effort to revive talks and avert further attacks. "Will he now push even harder to end the war?" Lucas asked.
Boys, however, suggested Trump may feel emboldened rather than constrained. Since the US Constitution bars Trump from seeking a third term, Boys argued the president may feel "he is now unleashed to act with impunity on the world stage." He added: "Indeed, given his weakened domestic political circumstances, one can easily imagine Donald Trump escalating policies in the Middle East as he seeks to establish an indisputable presidential legacy."
On trade, Trump imposed tariffs ranging from 10 to 50 percent on approximately 90 countries last year, aiming to reduce the US trade deficit. The move rattled global markets and was struck down by the Supreme Court in February in a 6-3 ruling.
Days after that ruling, Trump signed a new executive order based on a different legal statute, raising tariffs from 10 to 15 percent. Those tariffs remain in effect.
