Trump accepts midterm defeat, blames Iran war and fuel prices for GOP losses

Trump's reaction on election night

Donald Trump responded to the Republican losses in the 3 November midterm elections with a string of posts on Truth Social and interviews with Fox News, the New York Times and Politico. Democrats began posting early wins on Tuesday night and went on to take control of the House and the Senate. In the weeks before the vote, Trump had repeatedly told rally crowds to 'pretend' he was on the ballot, but after the results he argued the outcome was not a verdict on him. In a Truth Social post he wrote:

“I wasn't on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!”

Blame for the defeat

Trump blamed some of the losses on Republican candidates themselves. He singled out Texas Governor Greg Abbott, whom he had endorsed, and wrote that Abbott would not have lost had he not become a RINO in the last six months. Abbott lost his reelection bid to Democrat Gina Hinojosa. Trump also posted that Fox News ratings were down 27%, saying the network was spending too much time covering Democrats. He acknowledged that the Iran war had contributed to the defeat, but argued that its effect on fuel prices weighed more heavily on voters. He told the New York Times that voters probably were not happy with the oil price.

Working with Democrats and vetoes

Trump said he would accept the results and looked forward to working with Democrats, telling the New York Times that a solution would probably be found. He also said he would use his veto power, and that he would block bills from the new Democratic majorities that he considered senseless. Speaking to Fox News a few hours after attacking the channel, he said of the Democrats:

“The Democrats did a good job, they fought hard.”

He predicted that after a few months of vetoes, Democrats would call the White House to ask how to move things forward and that the two sides would then work together. He also said he would make no changes to his Cabinet.

White House messaging

Steven Cheung, the White House communications director, wrote in the early hours of Wednesday, 4 November, that Trump remained the president. The post drew mockery on X, where one user said it showed why MAGA had died.

“Donald J. Trump is the President of the United States. Still your President!”

Later that morning the official White House account posted 'PSA: TRUMP IS STILL YOUR PRESIDENT' beside a photograph of Trump leaning on the Resolute Desk. The post closed with 'Thank you for your attention in this matter', a sign-off Trump often uses on Truth Social. Trump had not posted on the platform since late Tuesday, but he gave a Fox News interview just after midnight in which he did not accept responsibility for the Republican losses and blamed GOP candidates instead.