Trump Concedes Iran War Cost Midterms But Defends Decision as Democrats Take Congress

UPDATE - follow-up to U.S. midterm elections 2026 LIVE: VP Vance says Iran war was the reason Republicans lost midterms: President Donald Trump admitted on Wednesday that his war against Iran was largely true to blame for his Republican Party's crushing defeat in the U.S. midterm elections, even as he defended the military conflict as a necessary move. Democrats won full control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate in Tuesday's vote, giving them the power to block Mr. Trump's agenda and investigate alleged corruption for the final two years of his term. The vote reflected deep anger over living costs, tariffs, and high fuel prices driven by the war. Despite his history of questioning election results, Mr. Trump told The New York Times he is willing to accept the outcome and work with Democrats. However, he also warned reporters that if Democrats try to impeach him when they take control of Congress next year, it would destroy their party. Vice President J.D. Vance publicly broke from the President's stance to distance himself from the unpopular conflict ahead of a possible 2028 White House run, stating that the Iran war was the reason Republicans lost. When asked about Mr. Vance's remark, Mr. Trump agreed it was largely true because the war drove up gasoline costs in the short term, but insisted he would do it again to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. Meanwhile, Canadian officials stated that Ottawa's push to reduce economic dependence on the United States will not change despite the election result. Prime Minister Mark Carney has maintained that trade with the U.S. will not return to a normal pre-Trump state, while Canadian Minister for US-Canada trade Dominic LeBlanc stressed that Canada's economic repositioning remains steady. From Tehran, Iran's Supreme National Security Council head Maj. Gen. Mohsen Rezaei wrote on X that the election outcome was a political defeat for Donald Trump in Washington, following what he called a strategic defeat on the battlefield and in the Hormuz.

Context

Midterm elections in the United States take place midway through a president's four-year term, frequently serving as a referendum on the current administration's policies. When the opposition party wins control of Congress, it fundamentally shifts the balance of power in Washington by creating a divided government.