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Skip next section What you need to know
What you need to know
- Democratic Party candidates secure control of the US Senate and House of Representatives
- ‘The reason we lost is the war,’ US VP JD Vance says
- Trump acknowledges Iran war’s part but insists he ‘had to do’ it
- Abdul El-Sayed wins Michigan Senate race to become first Muslim senator in US history
- James Talarico wins Democrats’ first Senate seat in Texas in decades
- Annie Andrews stuns Republicans in South Carolina
- Democrats also notch wins in gubernatorial contests in Ohio and Georgia
Follow the latest developments from the US midterm elections:
Skip next section Live election resultsPublished 11/04/2026Published November 4, 2026last updated 11/05/2026last updated November 5, 2026
Live election results
Edited by:Dmytro Hubenkohttps://p.dw.com/p/5P2MUSkip next section Fact check: Examining viral narratives after the US midterm elections11/05/2026November 5, 2026
Fact check: Examining viral narratives after the US midterm elections
As Democrats celebrate major gains, false claims about election fraud have spread. Viral posts alleging illegal voting and election rigging are intended to fuel doubt about the integrity of the vote.
Edited by:Dmytro Hubenkohttps://p.dw.com/p/5P58ESkip next section Zelenskyy hopes Democratic gains will translate to more US support for Ukraine11/05/2026November 5, 2026
Zelenskyy hopes Democratic gains will translate to more US support for Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he hopes Democratic gains in the US midterms will help boost American support for Ukraine.
Under Donald Trump’s leadership, US support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s full-scale invasion has wavered, while Trump has repeatedly blamed Zelenskyy for prolonging the conflict.
The US leader has also been accused of being too soft on Russia and its president Vladimir Putin.
In an interview on Wednesday with German public broadcaster ZDF, Zelenskyy said he hopes Kyiv will benefit from the Democratic Party winning control of both chambers of Congress.
“I am also grateful to the Republicans, but the Democrats speak very clearly about supporting Ukraine and providing assistance to Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said in comments provided in German before the interview was aired.
“They speak about renewing the connection between the United States and Europe… Therefore, there is hope that a balance of power will emerge and that we will receive more support,” the Ukrainian president added.
Edited by:Dmytro Hubenkohttps://p.dw.com/p/5P58SSkip next section WATCH: Big Democrat victory in US midterm elections11/05/2026November 5, 2026
WATCH: Big Democrat victory in US midterm elections
Wade Adams
President Donald Trump’s Republican Party lost races even in states it had held for decades.
For Democrats, the results surpassed even the most optimistic expectations. They now have control of Congress.
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Edited by:Dmytro Hubenkohttps://p.dw.com/p/5P58DSkip next section WATCH: How has Europe reacted to Trump’s midterm defeat?11/05/2026November 5, 2026
WATCH: How has Europe reacted to Trump’s midterm defeat?
Relief in Europe, but also a warning not to celebrate too soon. Donald Trump has lost both chambers of Congress, yet he remains in charge of US foreign policy and retains significant power over trade.
DW News looks at the reaction from Europe and the markets, and ask whether a weakened Trump might become more predictable, or more confrontational.
Edited by:Dmytro Hubenkohttps://p.dw.com/p/5P588Skip next section Trump says Iran war impacted midterm outcome 11/04/2026November 4, 2026
Trump says Iran war impacted midterm outcome
Donald Trump spoke about the outcome of the midterm elections to reporters at the construction site of the White House ballroom.
He hailed the ballroom, which is being built after the East Wing of the White House was demolished, as a “structure the likes of which has never been seen anywhere.”
During the remarks, Trump was asked about Vice President JD Vance’s post which blamed the Iran war for the midterm losses to the Democrats.
“I think it’s largely true because it drove the gasoline up a little bit short term,” Trump said. “But at the same time, if I had to do it again, I’d have to do it again. Because long term, it’s the only answer. You can’t let Iran have a nuclear weapon.”
The president also ruled out firing Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, who has guided efforts on the Iran war, saying “I think he’s doing a very good job.”
In regard to the Democrats, Trump said he was willing to work with the opposition. However, he warned the Democrats against impeachment.
“I think it would destroy the Democrat Party if they did that,” the president said, while arguing there is “no reason” for him to be impeached.
Trump was impeached by the House two times during his first term, but was never convicted and removed by the Senate.
Edited by:Rana Tahahttps://p.dw.com/p/5P4pBSkip next section Merz says Trump will continue to bypass Congress11/04/2026November 4, 2026
Merz says Trump will continue to bypass Congress
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he believes Trump will continue to bypass the US House and Senate in his last two years by issuing executive orders.
“Trump has, for the past two years, largely governed without consulting Congress. Why should things be any different now?” Merz said during an economic forum of the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD). Merz’s center-right Christian Democrats are in a governing coalition with the SPD.
The German chancellor said he wasn’t so “excited” about the Democratic victory in the midterms.
“What will change is budget planning — and of course planning for the armed forces as well,” Merz continued.
The US Constitution grants the Congress the power of the purse. Congress can also influence military factors such as troop levels in Europe.
Edited by:Rana Tahahttps://p.dw.com/p/5P4iJSkip next section US VP Vance: ‘The reason we lost is the war’ 11/04/2026November 4, 2026
US VP Vance: ‘The reason we lost is the war’
US Vice President JD Vance, in a long post on X, said many voters who backed Trump in the 2024 presidential election showed up to the polls and cast ballots for the Democrats out of anger.
“The reason we lost is the war,” Vance said, referring to the US-Israel war on Iran.
“If you’d like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so,” Vance said. “Argue it was a worthwhile cost to pay. Agree or disagree, that’s at least honest.”
“But everyone knows why we lost. And any honest conversation about where we go from here must start here,” the vice president said, while saying he remains hopeful “about our country.”
Edited by:Rana Tahahttps://p.dw.com/p/5P4apSkip next section Mike Johnson not looking to become House minority leader 11/04/2026November 4, 2026
Mike Johnson not looking to become House minority leader
Mike Johnson, a representative from Louisiana who currently serves as US Speaker of the House, is unlikely to seek the position of House minority leader when Democrats take over in January, AP and Reuters reported.
Johnson, a close Trump ally, has served as speaker since October 2023.
Jake Sherman, the founder of US congressional outlet Punchbowl News, reported that Jim Jordan, a Republican congressman from Ohio, is expected to announce his candidacy for House minority leader later on Wednesday. Jordan just won reelection in Ohio’s 4th Congressional district.
Edited by:Rana Tahahttps://p.dw.com/p/5P4TBSkip next section SpaceX, Tesla stocks slide as Democrats sweep midterms11/04/2026November 4, 2026
SpaceX, Tesla stocks slide as Democrats sweep midterms
Shares of SpaceX and Tesla, companies run by tech billionaire and world’s richest man Elon Musk, were both down about 5%, as US markets opened on Wednesday.
Musk is a Republican megadonor and had spent nearly $500 million to back Republican candidates in the midterms, including efforts to keep Republicans in power in Texas, a state home to both the automaker Tesla and rocket-to-AI company SpaceX, as well as being a hub to AI data centers.
But with Democrats seizing both houses of Congress and Gina Hinojosa defeating Greg Abbott in the Texas governor’s race, Musk and his companies could face increasing scrutiny by Congress as well as Texas state authorities.
Observers expect Democrats to tighten regulation of data-center projects and push for construction moratoriums as local opposition grows over surging electricity costs.
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Edited by:Rana Tahahttps://p.dw.com/p/5P4LhSkip next section EU foreign policy chief Kallas hopes new Congress will continue Ukraine support11/04/2026November 4, 2026
EU foreign policy chief Kallas hopes new Congress will continue Ukraine support
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said she hopes the new Democratic-majority Congress will continue support for Ukraine and pressure Russia. The next US House and Senate will be sworn in on January 3 next year.
“US voters have made their choice clear,” Kallas said.
Previous Democratic President Joe Biden was a keen supporter of Ukraine when the the Russian invasion began in February 2022. US President Donald Trump, a Republican, has since pressured Ukraine into giving up land to Russia since his term began last year and has threatened to stop selling arms to the Ukrainians.
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The Democratic House and Senate will likely put a check on Trump’s foreign policy toward Ukraine and Russia, with stronger congressional oversight expected. However, Trump is unlikely to make a major U-turn on foreign issues during his last two years in office and leads the US military as commander-in-chief.
Edited by:Rana Tahahttps://p.dw.com/p/5P4IFSkip next section White House offers online reminder: ‘Trump is still your president’11/04/2026November 4, 2026
White House offers online reminder: ‘Trump is still your president’
After sitting out the counting and results phase through the night, the White House press office made its first post-election foray on social media with what it termed a public service announcement.
“PSA: Trump is still your president,” said a caption in block capitals beneath a photo of Trump staring intently at the camera shared online.
The post was captioned with what tends to be the 47th president’s catchphrase signoff on his personal account on his own social media site Truth Social: “Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
Trump and senior members of his Cabinet were yet to wade back into the public debate as the clocks ticked past 9:30 a.m. on the East Coast.
Edited by:Rana Tahahttps://p.dw.com/p/5P4L4Skip next section Markets in Asia, Europe broadly gaining after vote 11/04/2026November 4, 2026
Markets in Asia, Europe broadly gaining after vote
Stock markets around the world were mostly in the green on Wednesday as traders digested the midterm election results.
As of around 3 p.m. on the trading floor in Frankfurt, the DAX had gained just under 2% since the start of trade.
This was broadly in line with the major indices in London, with the FTSE 100 up 1.94%, and Paris, with the CAC 40 up 2.19%. Spain’s IBEX 35 was even more buoyant, up by more than 3%.
The only major Asian market to take a hit was Japan’s Nikkei, closing down 1.42% on the start of trade. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose by 1.67% and Shanghai’s main index climbed by more than 2%. India’s Sensex logged more modest gains of around 0.5%.
Even the US markets were expected to open in a bullish mood on Wednesday morning, despite some isolated stocks like Elon Musk’s Tesla and SpaceX and a host of AI companies taking a moderate hit on election evening.
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Edited by:Rana Tahahttps://p.dw.com/p/5P4ErSkip next section ANALYSIS — What will these results mean for war in Iran, Ukraine? 11/04/2026November 4, 2026
ANALYSIS — What will these results mean for war in Iran, Ukraine?
Many people in the US, and particularly beyond its borders, might be asking what the Democrats controlling Congress might mean for US foreign policy, not least the long-running Russian invasion of Ukraine and Trump’s much more recent war on Iran.
Richard Walker from DW Geopolitics breaks down some of the battle lines, if you’ll pardon the pun, between the Trump White House, the Democratic Party and the major foreign players when it comes to these issues.
If you’re the read-only, low-data type who’d rather not click play on even the shortest of videos, the super-abridged version goes something like this: On most matters of foreign policy, it’s the White House and not Congress that holds sway.
“These conflicts are stuck for a reason,” as Richard puts it, and there’s every chance that will remain the case at least in the short term. Not least because powerful actors beyond the US’ borders remain a core part of both equations.
Edited by:Rana Tahahttps://p.dw.com/p/5P430Skip next section UK PM Andy Burnham says midterm results show global focus on cost of living needed 11/04/2026November 4, 2026
UK PM Andy Burnham says midterm results show global focus on cost of living needed
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham told journalists that the midterm results in the US show there needs to be an international focus on the cost of living crisis.
Burnham, a member of the center-left Labour Party, has been in office since July and has vowed to tackle rising costs.
“President Trump has accepted the results, and I feel the world has an opportunity to unite around an issue that is affecting us all, and that’s the cost of living,” Burnham said.
Burnham was asked how the US midterm result relates to recent losses for right-wing parties in Brazil, Serbia and Hungary.
“I think people want to see the world coming together and focusing on the things that matter to people,” Burnham said.
The UK leader said that the US war with Iran needs to deescalate. He said that without a settlement to resolve the Iran conflict, “I can’t get people’s cost of living pressures down.”
Edited by:Rana Tahahttps://p.dw.com/p/5P483Show more posts
