Trump congratulated Democrats after they took control of Congress, while blaming Republican candidates and linking losses to fuel costs tied to the Iran conflict.
His message to CBS News was “congratulations to the Democrats, and I look forward to working with you for the good of our country.”
People agree with what I'm doing on Iran but they really probably weren't willing to do the short term consequences of paying more for gasoline - I understand that.
To The New York Times, Trump said he was willing to accept the election results as they came in and was prepared to work with Democrats.
He also pointed to the power of his veto, saying he was sure the parties could reach agreements. Democrats, Trump said, would want to work with him; otherwise, he would veto everything.
Democrats took control of both chambers of Congress. Final vote totals and margins weren’t available in the supplied information.
Trump said Republicans would have won by a landslide if he’d been on the ballot. Earlier, he’d written on Truth Social that Republicans lost because he wasn’t on the ballot.
Trump praised Democrats’ campaigning and blamed Republican candidates for the losses in a Fox News interview that aired early Wednesday. In a separate interview, he said some voters disliked candidates and that some candidates weren’t his friends.
Trump said the Iran conflict contributed to Republican defeats. Voters backed his actions against Iran but didn’t want to pay more for petrol in the short term. Higher fuel costs were temporary, with possible longer-term gains, though voters had worries.
About two-thirds of voters thought Trump’s policies had worsened economic conditions in the United States, the AP Voter Poll found. About 3 in 10 thought they had improved conditions.
About two-thirds said Trump’s tariff policies had hurt the national economy or their local economy. More than half also said he wasn’t a strong leader, didn’t fight for people like them, lacked the right priorities and didn’t have the mental capability to serve effectively as president.
About 6 in 10 said Trump gave greater priority to his own interests than to the country’s, while about 4 in 10 said he put more weight on the country’s interests.
Trump had carried those states in 2024 and personally chosen Republican nominees or campaigned on their behalf. Democrats won Republican-held seats in North Carolina, Ohio, Iowa, Texas, South Carolina and Kansas.
In Texas, Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, whom Trump had endorsed and praised. On Truth Social, Trump criticised Abbott, saying he would have won if he hadn’t spent the final six months of his political life as a RINO.
Trump-backed candidates also lost in North Carolina and Ohio. In North Carolina, Democrat Roy Cooper defeated Michael Whatley, where incumbent Republican Sen. Thom Tillis had decided to retire after clashing with Trump. In Ohio, Democrat Sherrod Brown regained his Senate seat by defeating appointed Republican Sen. Jon Husted.
A Democratic-led Senate gives the party more power to investigate the Trump administration and impede Cabinet and lifetime federal judicial nominations. Senior Democrats have identified administration policies, the conduct of its personnel and links between government officials and private corporations seeking influence with the White House as investigative targets.
Trump's desire to have everyone think that he's on the ballot? Like, it's happening,
Kim said voters were thinking about Trump and the harm they had experienced directly.
