President Cyril Ramaphosa Welcomes Democrats’ Decisive Victory in US Midterm Elections
- President Cyril Ramaphosa commented on the results of the 2026 United States midterm elections
- Democrats secured control of both the Senate and the House in what analysts described as a major blue wave
- Ramaphosa said the results could usher in a new era in world relations, with implications for trade and investment
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Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has spent a decade reporting on South Africa's political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online journalism.
GAUTENG — President Cyril Ramaphosa has weighed in on the results of the 2026 United States midterm elections, describing the Democratic Party's sweep of Congress as a potential turning point for global affairs.
Speaking to the media outside Hyde Park High School in Hyde Park, Sandton, where he voted, Ramaphosa said South Africa had been closely watching the electoral process unfold.
The Democratic Party flipped at least seven Republican-held Senate seats, including historic wins in Kansas, Texas, and Iowa, leaving them projected to hold around 53 to 54 seats. In the House, Democrats secured a majority of approximately 224 seats or more, flipping over two dozen seats in districts that had previously backed Donald Trump by significant margins.
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The result means Trump faces a divided government for the remaining two years of his presidency, with the new Congress set to take office in January 2027. His executive powers remain intact, but his legislative agenda faces considerable constraints. Trump previously pledged to send every American adult a one-off payment of $5,000 if the Republicans secure control of both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections.
Ramaphosa eyes trade and bilateral relations
Ramaphosa welcomed the electoral outcome and indicated that South Africa remained committed to maintaining strong ties with Washington.
"We are always willing to have good relations with the United States. As a country, we are committed to doing so, but we always say we are a sovereign nation like they are," he said.
"And as a sovereign nation, we will advance our own interests as they too must."
He added that the shift in congressional control could open new diplomatic possibilities, saying he hoped "on a bilateral basis, there will be a coming together of minds where we will find a proper path forward on geopolitics as well as on trade matters and investment matters."
Ramaphosa described the United States as "such a big economy" and said changes in the composition of both chambers of Congress could meaningfully reshape international relations.
Trump shows concern about being impeached
Briefly News previously reported that Donald Trump expressed concern that he would be impeached as US President after the midterm elections.
Trump expressed his concern during a retreat for Republican lawmakers in Washington on 6 January 2026.
He urged Republicans to win the 2026 Congressional midterm elections, or else he would be at the mercy of the Democrats.
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Source: Briefly News
