The midterm elections and the future of US foreign policy

The US midterm elections on 3 November 2026 delivered an important signal of Washington’s trajectory for the second half of President Trump’s term and beyond.

How Americans voted will shape the room the administration has to pursue its agenda, with far-reaching consequences for the Australian government and Australian businesses, from trade and investment settings to the US–Australia alliance. It will also influence the shape of post-Trump America.

In this special event, Richard Fontaine, Chief Executive Officer of the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), joined online from Washington, DC to analyse the results. The conversation was hosted by Dr Michael Fullilove AM, Executive Director of the Lowy Institute, before an in-person audience at 31 Bligh Street, and was followed by an audience Q&A.

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