Trump's foreign policy at stake

Democrats will use their new majority in the US House of Representatives to reverse what they see as a hands-off approach by Republicans toward President Donald Trump's foreign policy, and push for tougher dealings with Russia, Saudi Arabia and North Korea.

Representative Eliot Engel, the Democrat in line to head the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said they may also push for congressional authorization for the use of military force in places like Iraq and Syria. But on some hot-button areas, like China and Iran, he acknowledged there was little they could do to change the status quo.

Now that they have taken control of the 435-member House of Representatives for the first time since 2011, Democrats will decide what legislation is considered in the chamber and have a bigger role in setting spending policy and writing legislation.

RUSSIA PROBE: Democrats plan Russia-related investigations, such as a probe of possible business ties and conflicts of interest between Trump and Russia. From a policy perspective, a Democratic-led House would push to punish Russia for interference in US elections and activities including its aggression in Ukraine and involvement in the Syrian civil war. Kremlin yesterday said it sees no prospects for better Russia-US ties.

KHASHOGGI'S KILLING: The furor over the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul has added to lawmakers' frustration with Saudi Arabia over the war in Yemen. A Democratic-led House would vote on legislation to block arms deals with Riyadh, make it difficult to win congressional approval of a nuclear energy deal and consider a measure to stop US aircraft refuelling and other support for the campaign in Yemen.

PEACE WITH NORTH KOREA: Democrats say they are determined to obtain more information about meetings by Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un, worried that Trump is so eager to make a "great deal" that he will give Kim too much.

Engel and other Democrats plan to call administration officials to testify in public, and behind closed doors, about the status of talks. But they also will walk a fine line, because they do not want to be seen as interfering with diplomacy and efforts to prevent a nuclear war.

CHINA POLICY: Democrats will hold more hearings and demand more briefings, but criticism of Beijing has so far crossed party lines and that is not expected to change. Prominent Democrats, such as Representative Adam Schiff, who is in line to chair the House Intelligence Committee, have joined Republicans backing measures to clamp down on China, like legislation treating ZTE Corp and Huawei Technologies Co Ltd technology and phones as major cyber security threats.

IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL: Democrats were infuriated by Trump's withdrawal from the nuclear deal with Iran that Democratic President Barack Obama's administration reached in 2015. But there is little they can do to change the policy as long as Republicans occupy the White House. Engel was among Democrats who opposed the Iran deal, but he said Trump should work more closely with important allies, like the members of the European Union, on that and other issues.