World Leaders Relieved but Wary After Trump's Party Loses Midterms

World leaders who have clashed with President Donald Trump expressed cautious relief Wednesday after his Republican Party suffered a major defeat in U.S. midterm elections, hoping for a less combative foreign policy while acknowledging Trump remains in power for two more years. European officials welcomed the results as a rebuke of Trump's "America first" agenda, with Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez framing it as a victory against hate and climate denialism. However, analysts cautioned that Trump retains significant latitude on foreign policy, including the Iran war, tariffs, and support for Ukraine, meaning no immediate shift is expected. Russia's Kremlin expressed hope Trump would continue his peacemaking efforts, while some European leaders stressed the need to strengthen their own defense capabilities regardless of U.S. election outcomes. Democrats gaining control of Congress may face difficulty constraining Trump's unilateral foreign policy actions.