The blue wave beats Trump administration black and blue

Among those elected is Abdul El Sayed – the first Muslim Senator in US history, who was sadly mocked by being labelled 'jihadist' and 'extremist'. After winning the primary in August, where the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) spent over $30 million against him, El Sayed has been constantly speaking against Israel and its genocidal policies in Palestine.

He also called for investing the money being spent on foreign wars to fix issues at home. So Trump's next two years will look very, very different. The implications would extend well beyond Washington, and affect not only its foreign policies but relationship with allies, discredited by Trump.

This would also mean that now Democrats would influence legislative talks, federal appointments and confirmation of judges and senior government officials. But removing the President would require a two-thirds majority in the Senate, which is impossible to gain.

Impeachment question might return to the political debate, as would the financial assistance to Israel and Ukraine. The key question here is, would Trump's policies be reversed now that Democrats control both the houses? No, because the President retains executive powers.

Democrats' victory would only ensure balance of power in the world's biggest democracy. It will put a check on the unbridled power of the Trump administrations and the President's billionaire friends. The midterms also revealed a pushback from Americans against political polarisation, confrontational leadership, high inflation, the rising cost of living, controversial decisions, and dissatisfaction with Trump's leadership.

A strong turnout among young people, women and suburban voters facing economic difficulties paved the way for a sweeping Democratic victory. Democrats also made gains among Hispanic voters and independents, including in traditionally Republican states.

The Muslim population, angered by the administration's pro-Israel policies at the utter disadvantage of the Palestinians, also dented the Republican campaign. So, what's the key takeaway or vital political message here? It is that criticising Israel, supporting Palestine and opposing anti-Semitism are not mutually exclusive issues, and conflating them can alienate voters.

Allies are also happy as they will now have greater leverage in trade talks. At a broader scale and at the level of the EU, those governments will now find more support in the US on Nato commitments, climate policies, etc.

And although the US foreign policy has not fundamentally changed, a greater Congressional scrutiny on Israel, accountability over Gaza and settlement policies will be brought to the fore. The most expensive midterm election in the history of the country saw total campaign spending by the candidates, political parties and the outside organisations exceeding $11.9 billion.

Although the final nationwide voter turnout has not yet been officially established, early estimates show approximately 53.14 million Americans voted this time around, compared to approximately 46 million in early voting in 2022. Also, over 58 million early ballots came in.

In comparison the turnout among the eligible voters was 46.6% in 2022 midterms, and 50% in 2018. In the wake of this verdict, the central question remains: will Mr Trump heed the American public's message and reconsider the divisive policies that eroded democratic institutions, fractured international alliances, and prioritised the interests of his inner circle over the country?