US domestic politics

Polls suggest Democrats will take control of the House of Representatives as American voters are dissatisfied with President Trump and his policies.

The administration’s efforts to undermine confidence in the US electoral system could spark a political crisis in November – with consequences for the 2028 presidential race and beyond, writes Bruce Stokes.

The Democrats are projected to make big gains in November’s midterm elections. But this will not necessarily constrain President Trump.

The Trump administration has pushed through another round of tariffs. While they are being challenged in the courts, unpredictable and costly US trade policy is here to stay.

In this week’s episode of Independent Thinking, our experts discuss how the expansion of presidential power could reshape American democracy.

In this episode of Independent Thinking, Bronwen Maddox is joined by Laurel Rapp and Ambassador Tim Davis to discuss America’s international role and its domestic divisions as it approaches the 250th anniversary of its founding.

The most urgent fault line in US politics is between those who believe in the system of government and those who do not. It is, in fact, the foundational US fault line being relitigated for modern times.

Europe cannot affect the course of America’s latest reinvention, as it did 250 years ago. But it can adapt to a more unhappy relationship.

The president started a war in the Middle East without considering foreseeable risks. The US memorandum of understanding with Iran leaves many of the repercussions of that miscalculation unaddressed.

A major inflation shock is likely thanks to high global energy prices.

Foreign policy is a low priority for US voters. But a rushed deal could impact the president’s domestic support in November’s midterm elections.

A potted selection of reviews from our sister journal ‘International Affairs’, by its book reviews editor Mariana Vieira

Our experts discuss what the US government’s feud with AI firm Anthropic tells us about governance and competition in the AI race.

Even if the disruption to oil and gas from the Iran war subsides, the Trump administration’s energy policy will likely lead to a long-term increase in energy prices.

The president once saw opposition to wars as key to his popularity. But the Iran attacks show he is now more interested in spending political capital than saving it.

The State of the Union showed the president’s faith in the efficacy of tariffs is undimmed – despite the adverse Supreme Court ruling.

Chatham House analysts give their initial reactions to the Supreme Court’s tariffs ruling, its likely impact on President Donald Trump’s economic agenda, and his angry response to the ruling.

At first glance, the Trump administration’s energy dominance policy appears to have been a success. But shifting energy market dynamics has proven difficult.

President Trump has loomed large in the campaign of pressure on the Fed. Yet on closer inspection, wider historical forces are also at play.

As the Trump administration enters its crucial second year, polls indicate that much of the American public disapproves of the president and his flagship policies, although views are split along partisan lines.

The Democratic strategist tells Iona Allan what the party could learn from New York’s mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and the ‘supermajority thinking’ that it must adopt to win in the 2026 midterms and beyond.

The former vice president also expressed support for the US–UK ‘special relationship’ and for NATO and defended his 2017-21 administration’s record.

Zohran Mamdani’s victory in New York’s mayoral race this week – and other electoral successes – energized Democrats in the US and left-wing parties worldwide. Our experts assess the significance of the first major elections of Trump’s second term.

As the legal challenge to Trump’s tariffs reaches the US Supreme Court, the outcome could have far-reaching consequences for global trade and beyond.

The US government has shut down. Meanwhile, a ceasefire in Gaza has been agreed by Hamas and Israel. Our experts assess the impact of these developments on US foreign and domestic policy.

US democratic backsliding and diminished support for global norms may undermine investor confidence in the US and affect the ability of American companies to do business abroad.

The inability of Congress to hold the president to account has placed greater pressure on a divided judiciary. A constitutional crisis could be coming, warns Max Yoeli.

The Trump administration has withdrawn the US from major climate commitments and slashed funding for green technologies. But US companies know they must stay invested in the global energy transition, argues Helen Clarkson.

Laurel Rapp will take up the role of Programme Director of Chatham House’s US and North America programme in September.

Attacks on economic data and institutions risk undermining trust at a crucial moment for the US economy.

If a new trade policy framework can be developed, Trump’s presidency could offer a chance to move the debate forward and actually strengthen global trade.