Trump says 'largely true' Iran war caused midterms loss

President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday that it is "largely true" that the war with Iran was a factor in his party's midterm election losses, noting that the conflict drove gasoline prices up in the short term. Trump told reporters at a White House construction site that if he had to do it again, he would, because he believes the conflict is the "only answer" to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

These comments followed remarks by Vice President JD Vance, who argued on X that the war was the reason for the Republican defeat.

The midterm elections resulted in Democrats gaining control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, with gains including victories in Texas, North Carolina, Ohio, and Kansas. The Jerusalem Post reported that these new majorities will take office in January, creating a divided government for the final two years of Trump's term.

Reuters reported that frustration over the Iran war and living costs contributed to the Democratic gains, while Al-Monitor noted that voters were weary of the war and hit by soaring fuel prices.

Historian Victor Davis Hanson argued that Trump's success in his remaining presidency will depend on the economy and the denuclearization of Iran. Hanson predicted that while Democrats may block judicial and Cabinet nominations, Trump will retain substantial freedom to pursue foreign policy and will likely rely on executive orders for domestic issues.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Korea Times, Jerusalem Post, Al-Monitor, NDTV, The National UAE — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.