US President Donald Trump has dismissed suggestions that his leadership and controversial policies contributed to Republican defeats, blaming underperforming candidates for failing to mobilise voters after Democrats secured control of both chambers of Congress.

US President Donald Trump has rejected calls to take responsibility for the Republican Party's poor performance in the November 2026 midterm elections, insisting that individual candidates, rather than his administration, were largely responsible for the losses.

The election results, which handed Democrats control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, have raised fresh questions about Trump's political influence and the direction of his administration during the remainder of his presidency.

However, Trump has dismissed suggestions that the outcome represents a rejection of his leadership, arguing that his administration has delivered significant achievements over the past two years.

Speaking during a live telephone interview with Fox News, the President said he did not consider the Republican defeats a personal political setback.

“But I don’t view it as a hit on me,” Trump said.

“We’ve had the greatest two years in the history of the presidency in terms of the economy, in terms of all the things that we’ve done.”

Trump instead blamed Republican candidates for failing to generate sufficient enthusiasm among supporters to secure victory at the polls.

According to him, several candidates struggled to connect with voters despite receiving his endorsement and benefiting from his campaign appearances.

“They just didn’t inspire the people to get out and vote,” he said.

“And I wasn’t on the ballot. If I was on the ballot, they would have got out.”

The President also suggested that media coverage and what he described as a broader political mood contributed to the unexpected outcome.

He admitted that he had expected Republican candidates to perform better, although he maintained that the election results would not derail his administration's policy agenda.

Trump's endorsements come under scrutiny

The Republican losses have also drawn attention to Trump's role in selecting and endorsing candidates who ultimately failed to secure victories.

Among those defeated were Darline Graham in South Carolina, Ken Paxton in Texas, Michael Whatley in North Carolina and Mike Collins in Georgia.

Several of the candidates had received Trump's public backing, with some endorsements reportedly going against the preferences of other influential Republican figures.

Despite the disappointing results, Trump defended his decision to support Paxton over incumbent Senator John Cornyn in Texas.

Explaining his choice, the President said he had little alternative, adding that Paxton had remained loyal to him even when supporting him was politically unpopular.

“I had no choice,” Trump said.

“When it wasn’t fashionable, he kissed my ass.”

In a post on his Truth Social platform shortly before midnight, Trump indicated that he intended to examine the reasons behind the Republican defeats and publicly assess the performances of the candidates.

“I’m going to become a Political Pundit, both good and bad, on the reasons these Candidates won and lost!” he wrote.

He subsequently turned his criticism towards Texas Governor Greg Abbott, describing him as a “Republican in name only” and accusing him of returning to an unsuccessful political strategy.

Iran war and economic concerns raise questions

Beyond the candidates' performances, Trump's administration has faced criticism over several controversial policy decisions, including the war in Iran and tariffs that have contributed to concerns about rising prices.

The issues have become important points of political debate, with some Republicans reportedly identifying them as factors that may have weakened the party's appeal among voters.

However, Trump showed no sign of reconsidering his decision to launch military action against Iran.

Asked by The Wall Street Journal whether he regretted the military intervention, the President insisted that he had made the right decision.

“I don’t think about it. I did the right thing,” he said.

“I would have done it again.”

Trump signals willingness to work with Democrats

Despite the political setback, Trump has expressed readiness to cooperate with Democrats, who will now have greater influence over legislative decisions in Washington.

In an interview with Politico, the President said he had already spoken with some Democratic politicians, although he did not disclose their identities.

“You know, I have a lot of friends that are Democrats. Believe it or not, I’ve already spoken to some of them,” he said.

Trump also indicated that he was interested in identifying areas of agreement with the opposition party.

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His comments come as Democrats prepare to exercise greater control over Congress, potentially creating fresh political challenges for the White House.

However, similar promises of bipartisan cooperation following Republican losses in the 2018 midterm elections produced limited results.

With Democrats now in control of both chambers of Congress, Trump's ability to advance his legislative priorities could face significant obstacles.

The latest election outcome therefore represents a major political test for the President, even as he continues to insist that his leadership and policies were not responsible for the Republican defeats.

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