This is a parliamentary event co-hosted by Leiden University and the Foreign Policy Centre. If you would like to attend, please RSVP to events@fpc.org.uk, including your full name, job title, and organisation.

The 2026 US midterm elections come at a consequential point in President Donald Trump’s second term. With all seats in the House of Representatives and a third of the Senate being contested, the results will help determine the balance of power in Washington for the remainder of the presidential term, while also providing an important indication of the direction of US politics ahead of the 2028 presidential election.

Yet the significance of the midterms extends far beyond domestic politics. The composition of Congress can shape the administration’s ability to pursue its agenda at home and abroad, at a time when questions about the United States’ approach to its allies, international institutions, trade, security and democratic norms continue to have significant implications for the UK, Europe and the wider international system.

This parliamentary discussion will provide an opportunity to take stock of the results and consider what they may mean for the next two years of US politics and foreign policy. 

This event will be chaired by Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, Chair of the International Relations and Defence Committee

Speakers:

– Dr Andrew Gawthorpe, University Lecturer, Leiden University and Senior Research Fellow at the Foreign Policy Centre

– Kevin Maloney, Chief Public Affairs Officer for the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs

– Laurel Rapp, Director, US and North America Programme, Chatham House

– Professor Mel Bunce, Director, Centre for Journalism and Democracy, City St George’s, University of London