Trump Explains Why His Party Lost in US Midterms

US President Donald Trump has shared his thoughts on why the Republicans lost in the midterm elections held on Tuesday.

In an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, Trump said several factors played a part in the loss. He mentioned that his absence from the ballot, the war in Iran, the way Fox News covered Democrats, and the good performance of Democrats contributed to the outcome.

“I feel that I wasn’t on the ballot, and there was nothing that could be done about that,” he said. “If I was, we would have won.”

Trump had earlier shared similar thoughts on Truth Social on Wednesday morning. He wrote, “I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP.”

Trump Discusses the Impact of the Iran War

Trump also admitted that the Iran war influenced his party's losses in the midterms. He mentioned that voters might not have wanted to deal with rising petrol and diesel prices, which he said were mainly due to the Iran war he started.

“I think a part of it was Iran, but at the same time, people understood the importance of what I’ve done with Iran,” he said.

He also praised the Democrats for their victories, stating that they did a “good job.” He indicated he might not change his cabinet after the election.

“I think the Democrats did a good job. I really do. I think they did a good job. They fought hard,” Trump told Fox News on Wednesday morning. He added that there was a “mood in the air” and that “I shouldn’t feel guilty.” Trump accused Fox News of giving too much attention to Democrats to connect with their largely Republican audience.

The president stated that he would work with the Democratic Party but made it clear he still has “total veto power.” He had previously said he would be “Mr Veto” if Democrats won, meaning he would reject any bill from Congress that he disagreed with.

“I think they’re gonna want to work with me,” he said. “Otherwise I’d just veto everything, and they’re not gonna want that.”

Trump's comments came after the Democratic Party took control of both houses of Congress. Current projections show Democrats holding 53 Senate seats and 226 seats in the House of Representatives.

Before the election, Republicans had a majority in the outgoing 119th Congress, with 53 seats in the Senate. Democrats had 45 seats, along with two independents in their group.

In the House, Democrats had secured 226 seats compared to 131 seats by Republicans, with still many seats to be counted as of early Wednesday. Democratic candidates won seats held by Republicans in states like North Carolina, Ohio, Iowa, Texas, South Carolina, and Kansas. Trump had personally chosen nominees in some of these areas or campaigned for them.