ROME, November 5. /TASS/. The Republican Party’s defeat in the US midterm elections was caused by President Donald Trump’s failure to deliver on his campaign promises, with foreign policy issues increasingly becoming key factors in the domestic political scene, journalist and US politics expert Giampiero Gramaglia told TASS.

According to Gramaglia, although the Republicans’ defeat had been widely anticipated amid the conflict involving Iran and mounting economic challenges, the extent of the party’s losses came as a surprise.

"Two interconnected factors worked against the Republicans: the conflict involving Iran, which pushed up fuel prices, and the economic downturn. As a result, Trump failed to fulfill two of his key campaign pledges: to avoid new conflicts and bring inflation under control. In fact, inflation is now higher than it was under Joe Biden," the expert explained.

He added that local concerns had also contributed to the outcome. Residents in areas along the Canadian border have expressed dissatisfaction with high tariffs, while Hispanic immigrant communities have been concerned about tougher law enforcement measures.

At the same time, Gramaglia noted that Ukraine had played no significant role in determining the election outcome, arguing that the issue generally draws little interest among American voters.

The new balance of power in Congress is unlikely to bring about a major shift in the White House’s overall policy, although lawmakers may gain greater influence over funding for specific initiatives. Against this backdrop, US assistance to Ukraine could be resumed, or Congress could devote fewer resources to the president’s military-related proposals, the expert suggested.

Commenting on the situation in the Middle East, Gramaglia said that both Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had seen their positions weaken. Nevertheless, the broader situation, particularly in Palestine and, more significantly, regarding Iran, remains largely deadlocked.

The United States held its midterm elections on November 3. Voters elected 35 of the 100 members of the Senate and all 435 members of the House of Representatives. Gubernatorial elections were also held in 36 states.

According to the latest estimates by US media outlets, Democrats are poised to secure majorities in both houses of the new Congress. Republicans currently control both the Senate and the House of Representatives.