Europe still sees Trump as powerful on foreign policy despite Democratic midterm win

■ Steady

Trump calls midterms 'crooked' as Democrats prepare to take both chambers

On Thursday President Trump told reporters the midterm elections were "crooked", despite having earlier accepted the results, and demanded that Alaska's remaining votes go to its incumbent Republican senator. A federal judge, Tanya Chutkan, also issued a 14-day restraining order halting construction of Trump's 250-foot arch in Washington. Democrats won the House and the Senate and take control in January, while the Alaska and Mississippi Senate races were reported as uncalled. Pressure on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the Iran war continues.

• Hegseth called efforts in Congress to impeach him a sham in a video message; Thomas Massie has filed eight articles of impeachment, and the White House denied reports that Hegseth and Rubio are set to leave.
• Vice-President Vance publicly blamed the Iran war for the Republican defeat, described as one of the sharpest breaks with a sitting president in recent memory.
• Democrats say they will focus on living costs and scrutiny of the administration; incoming House oversight chair Robert Garcia told Trump and Republicans to 'lawyer up'.
• European governments are privately relieved but uncertain about Ukraine, Iran and NATO policy; Germany's Merz expects Trump to keep bypassing Congress.