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German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius on Wednesday congratulated the Democrats on what he called a historic victory in the November 3 midterm elections, in which they won control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, ending Republican control of Congress halfway through President Donald Trump's term. Speaking at the Berlin Security Conference and alongside Portuguese Defence Minister Nuno Melo in Berlin, Pistorius said the result would shift the balance of power in Washington.
At the same time, Pistorius stressed continuity: Berlin's commitment to cooperating with the administration in Washington remains unchanged, and Germany will maintain close contact with President Trump's administration — which has two more years in office — while also seeking close contact with the Democratic leaders in the House and Senate.
Pistorius said there would be no immediate changes to transatlantic relations. He also highlighted continued cooperation between Germany and Portugal on military assistance to Ukraine ahead of the next Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting.
Other German voices struck a similar note: Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil, who leads the Social Democratic Party, congratulated the Democrats on their decisive win, while Chancellor Friedrich Merz's government declined to assess the outcome, with a government spokesperson saying the United States remains an important partner and that Germany would keep close cooperation with Washington.