Democrats Win Control of Congress, and Netanyahu's Rivals Seek His Ouster

Democrats won control of both chambers of the U.S. Congress in the November 2026 midterm elections, a result that has prompted political reaction in Israel, where rivals of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to use it to push for his removal from office.

Midterm elections are held partway through a U.S. president's term and decide who sits in Congress, the national legislature made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Democrats won control and a majority in the House, flipping more than two dozen Republican-held seats, including seats in Kentucky and New Jersey, according to Reuters. An NBC News analysis projected that Democrats would win at least 258 House seats, well above the 218 needed for a majority. Democrats also captured control of the Senate, according to The New York Times.

In Israel, Netanyahu's political rivals seized on the Democratic sweep to seek his ouster, Reuters reported. Some of his opponents said the results showed how politically damaging he had become, according to the Washington Times.

Democratic leaders in Congress had already intensified their criticism of Netanyahu and his government following Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza, the Times of Israel reported.

Separately, President Donald Trump has declared that the United States will cut off nearly $4 billion in annual aid to Israel "at the end of the year," the New York Times reported. The declaration sets a future date; the aid has not yet been cut off.

The New York Times also reported on how Israelis have viewed the midterms, framing the vote as a sign of how far Israel's standing in the United States has fallen.