Trump Blames Iran Conflict for Republican Midterm Losses, Defends Actions Amidst Economic Fallout

Following significant Republican setbacks in the midterm elections, President Donald Trump has acknowledged the impact of the United States’ attack on Iran and a subsequent surge in prices, while asserting the justification for the action and denying personal responsibility for the electoral rout. In a televised phone interview with Fox News on Tuesday evening, Trump stated, “We actually have the greatest economy, but because of the gasoline price, people don’t see it as much as they would have without it. And the gasoline was caused by Iran.” He added, “People agree with what I’m doing on Iran, but they really probably weren’t willing to do the short-term consequence of paying more for gasoline. I understand that. I don’t agree with it.”

Discussing the Republican defeats with The Wall Street Journal, Trump reiterated his stance on the Iran war, saying, “I did the right thing. I would have done it again.” Republican strategist James Davis commented that the war contributed to the party's electoral challenges, alongside a lack of clear messaging. “The war was definitely part of it and has helped shift the electorate toward Democrats. But the biggest issue was not the war itself, but the clear articulation of a strategy that gives people confidence in that strategy,” Davis told Al Jazeera. He further noted that the economic repercussions of the conflict, including elevated energy and diesel costs, had impacted all economic sectors and heightened American concerns about affordability.

Trump did not concede any strategic missteps, attributing the Republican struggles to his own absence from the ballot and blaming the defeated candidates. “I wasn’t on the ticket,” Trump told The New York Times. “And because I wasn’t on the ticket, we couldn’t get enough people out to vote.” He criticized the losing Republicans, many of whom he had personally endorsed and campaigned for, stating, “Some of the candidates that I endorsed fought me,” and adding that “some of them had a lot of flaws, and obviously they were not acceptable to the voters.”

Regarding the unexpected loss of Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Trump described his longtime ally as having become a “Republican in name only,” without further explanation. “If Greg Abbott, the Governor of Texas, hadn’t become a RINO in the last six months of his Political Life, he wouldn’t have lost,” he posted on his social media platform Truth Social. In a signal of his approach to governing in the upcoming Congress, the president shared an image of his signature red cap with the word “veto,” indicating his intent to block legislation from the incoming Democratic-controlled House.

Prior to the election results, Trump had frequently suggested that presidents often face midterm losses and had downplayed the notion that his policies had alienated voters. Speaking to Fox News, he indicated no plans to reshuffle his cabinet following the election results. “It had nothing to do with my cabinet. It’s just a point in time. There was a mood in the air, I guess.”

In a statement suggesting a willingness to cooperate, Trump expressed a desire to work with Democrats but also a resolve to maintain his positions. “I think we’ll work with the Democrats, and we’ll get along very well with them. If we don’t, we’ll be very tough on them; they’ll be very tough on us,” he said. He then posed a question about potential collaboration on “transgender mutilization of children,” stating, “No, I don’t think so. But I could work with them on many things.”