This paper explores the impact of the American midterm elections (“Midterms”) on the orientations of US foreign policy in the lead up to the next presidential election of 2020. In a context defined by extreme polarization, these elections are predominantly expected to reflect the domestic political concerns of the US electorate. The impact of the Midterms on American foreign policy will depend on whether the Democrats win a partial victory (House of Representatives) or total victory in Congress (both the lower house and the Senate). In both cases, the first priority of Democrats will be to reinforce current congressional investigations into the president. Unsettled by domestic policy issues, the president, in the grand tradition of American “imperial” presidencies, would transfer all his attention to international policy issues. For example, he could double down on the hubris of his decisions and the politicization of alliances that have characterized the first two years of his mandate. In this respect, a victory for the Democrats would not necessarily be good news for either America’s allies nor its rival powers.

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