Europe's far-right recalibrates after Trump's US midterm defeat

The Republican Party suffered a historic defeat in the US midterm elections, prompting Europe's far-right leaders to distance themselves from Donald Trump while reassessing their strategies. The result highlighted Trump's electoral toxicity despite his ideological appeal. European populists like Marine Le Pen and Giorgia Meloni have long admired Trump's nativist policies but feared his volatility and unreliability on defense and trade. Leaders such as Jordan Bardella and Alice Weidel blamed Trump's broken promises and interventionist actions for the loss, while emphasizing domestic priorities. The midterms demonstrated that voter anger over living costs and housing can topple incumbents, a lesson for far-right parties in opposition and power alike. Analysts warn mainstream parties against assuming the populist tide is receding, as underlying grievances remain rooted in European domestic conditions.