On the morning of November 4, 2026, it became known: in the US midterm elections, Democrats regained control of both houses of Congress. All 435 representatives and 35 senators were up for re-election. Associated Press and Reuters confirmed the shift in majority. According to Decision Desk HQ at the time of verification, Democrats have 232 seats in the House of Representatives compared to 141 for Republicans; a majority requires 218 out of 435. In the Senate, the Democratic camp, including independent allies, secured 54 seats against 44 for Republicans. The counting of individual districts continues.
Author: Anton Pshedynsky | NANews
Republicans lost Senate seats in Texas (James Talarico defeated Ken Paxton), Kansas (Adam Hamilton — Roger Marshall), South Carolina (Annie Andrews — Darlene Graham), Iowa (Josh Turek — Ashley Hinson), Ohio (Sherrod Brown — Jon Husted), North Carolina (Roy Cooper — Michael Whatley), and Maine (Troy Jackson — Susan Collins). In Texas, Gina Hinojosa surpassed Governor Greg Abbott and will become the first woman of Latino descent to lead the state. Democrats maintained positions in Georgia and Michigan.
Voters were concerned about prices, tariffs, corruption, and the war with Iran. However, the Democrats’ victory does not end Donald Trump’s presidential powers. The new Congress will begin work on January 3, 2027; the majority will be able to conduct investigations, review the budget, and block appointments. The President retains the right to veto — it was hinted at by Trump’s red VETO cap. Overcoming a veto requires two-thirds of the votes in each chamber, and in the Senate, many bills require 60 votes to end debate filibusters.
Israel: the dispute over billions began even before the votes were counted
On November 3, Trump announced that he had agreed with Benjamin Netanyahu to end approximately four billion dollars of annual aid to Israel after 2026. However, he promised to continue sales of American weapons. This statement is not yet a formal decision: the 2016 agreement provides for 38 billion dollars over ten years, or 3.8 billion annually, and is valid until September 2028. Congress approves funding, so early termination would require separate decisions.
For Israel, the issue concerns arms purchases, the army budget, and missile defense: the “Iron Dome,” “David’s Sling,” and joint developments. In July, the House of Representatives supported a defense bill for the 2027 fiscal year with 750 million dollars for joint programs, including 500 million for missile defense; final approval is still pending. The transition from grants to joint production is also being discussed, although disputes remain over intellectual property and American technology restrictions.
Israeli opposition — Gadi Eisenkot and Yair Golan — demanded explanations following Trump’s statement. The political moment is particularly difficult: in the Knesset elections on October 27, Netanyahu’s bloc received 53 mandates, Eisenkot’s allies — 48, Arab parties — 19. A government requires 61 deputies, and a coalition has not yet been formed.
Michigan and the new fault line among Democrats
42-year-old Abdul El-Sayed, who opposes American military aid to Israel, defeated Mike Rogers and became the first Muslim elected to the US Senate. He calls Israel’s actions in Gaza genocide; Israeli authorities reject this assessment. During the Democratic primaries, AIPAC — the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which supports the alliance between the two countries — and related structures spent nearly 30 million dollars supporting his opponent. El-Sayed was supported by Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Kamala Harris, and Barack Obama.
El-Sayed’s victory does not mean that all Democrats oppose Israel. But a Quinnipiac poll in June showed: 66% of surveyed Democrats consider American support for Israel excessive; in 2017, it was 20%. The new Congress will be able to more frequently raise questions about Gaza, the West Bank, arms supplies, and aid conditions. Jerusalem will have to work with both parties, not relying solely on the White House.
Ukraine: more opportunities, but not automatic supplies
For Kyiv, the rules for considering military aid, air defense funding, and sanctions against Russia are changing. Democrats will be able to appoint committee leaders, demand accountability, and include Ukrainian programs in the defense budget. In August, the Senate already supported a sanctions bill associated with the late Lindsey Graham, with 86 votes against 11: bipartisan support for certain measures remains.
In Indiana, JD Ford defeated Victoria Spartz, the first Ukrainian-born member of the US Congress, with an interim result of 51.79% against 48.21%. Spartz voted against a package of aid to Kyiv of about 61 billion dollars in 2024 and in 2025 called for territorial concessions to Russia.
Trump retains the right to negotiate with Kyiv and Moscow; even approved Congressional expenditures do not immediately turn into supplies. Democrats will be able to complicate White House decisions but not dictate peace terms.
A separate issue is Iran. The US and Israel’s war against it began on February 28, 2026, so now it’s not about “starting a war,” but about possible escalation: on November 3, Americans carried out limited strikes on Qeshm Island. Continuing hostilities depletes scarce Patriot and THAAD missiles, which are also needed to protect Ukraine. De-escalation will reduce the strain on stocks but does not guarantee the transfer of freed interceptors to Kyiv.
Israel awaits a decision on 3.8 billion dollars and defense partnership. For Ukraine — whether new supplies and sanctions will follow the new majority. This will be decided by budget votes and White House actions already in 2027.
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