Trump wears a white baseball cap with the letters 'USA' on the front and US flag lapel on his suit jacket, with a white shirt and red tie, while he speaks to reporters at the White House on Wednesday as construction of the East Wing ballroom nears completion.Image source, Mandel Ngan / AFP via Getty Images
ByJeremy BowenInternational editor
  • Published21 minutes ago

Donald Trump deals in superlatives, so there is political karma in the sheer size of the defeat handed to him by a big majority of the voters of America.

But do not expect him to go gentle into the political twilight of his career. Losing both houses of the US Congress limits his capacity to dictate, manoeuvre and disrupt at home.

Abroad it is likely to be different.

As president of the United States and commander-in-chief of its armed forces he retains broad powers to use America's military might.