The final two years of Trump could be a rocky ride. Here’s how Australia will handle it

November 5, 2026 — 7:00pm

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The extraordinary repudiation of Donald Trump and the Republican Party by American voters is just starting to sink in. It is far too soon to predict with any certainty what it will mean for the United States let alone for its allies such as Australia, Japan and the EU, or for strategic competitors like China and Russia, who Trump has been cuddling up to through most, if not all, of his two terms in office.

The only thing that can be said for sure is that the global political environment is now even more uncertain, with a divided US government and a president who could just as easily lash out at an enemy like Iran as he could entirely desert a notional ally like Ukraine.

Trump will doubtless face a Democratic Congress determined to stymie him at every turn. But the Congress has little ability to block the president when it comes to the conduct of foreign affairs (and specifically, the ability to wage war). He will also be able to fall back on executive orders to implement at least some policy in his final two years.

The president has initially signalled a willingness to work with the Democrats, rather than simply vetoing every law they send his way to sign, but it’s impossible to say if this will remain his disposition; there is a high probability he could lash out, block legislation and take unilateral action targeting allies or enemies (or both) in the final two years of his term.

As the extent of the wipeout became clear on........

© The Sydney Morning Herald